THE  UNIVERSITY 

(5f  ILLINOIS 

LIBRARY 

91712 
H22 


THE  LIBRARY 

OF  THE 

HMIv&fiSITY  PF  11 UVQIS 


DANIEL    WILLIAMS    HARMON 


A  Journal  of 
Voyages  and  Travels 

in  the  interior  of 

North  America 

between  the  47th  and  58th  degree  of 
North  latitude,  extending  from  Montreal 
nearly  to  the  Pacific  Ocean,  a  distance  of 
about  5000  miles,  including  an  account 
of  the  Principal  occurences  during  a  resi- 
dence of  nearly  nineteen  years  in  different 
parts  of  that  country 

To  which  are  added 

A  Concise  Description  of  the  face  of  the  Country, 

Its  Inhabitants,  their  manners, 

customs,  laws,  etc. 

BY 

Daniel  W.  Harmon 

a  Partner  in  the  Northwest  Company 
ILLUSTRATED 


MCMXXII 

ALLERTON  BOOK  CO. 

New  York 


Copyright,  1905,  by 
Williams-Barker  Co. 


Printed  in  the  United  States  of  America 


co^  a 


INTEODUCTION 

Life  on  the  plains  was  hard;  yet  it  was  a 
life  with  a  lure,  a  life  on  which  only  old  age  or 
declining  health  made  men  turn  their  backs. 
To  the  lover  of  exploration,  like  Mackenzie, 
a  limitless  field  was  open;  others,  such  as 
the  two  Alexander  Henrys,  uncle  and  nephew,, 
turned  to  study  the  manners  and  customs  of 
the  Indians.  The  "Voyages  and  Travels"  of 
Daniel  Williams  Harmon  have  a  double  in- 
terest ;  an  unwearied  traveller,  he  was  also  a 
shrewd  observer  and  student  of  language. 

Harmon  was  a  Vermont  lad,  who  entered 
the  service  of  the  Northwest  Company  in  1800,. 
and  was  sent  west.  For  the  next  nineteen  years 
he  did  not  come  east  of  Fort  William;  not 
till  May,  1819,  did  he  turn  his  back  on  the 
west,  and  return  to  his  native  State,  where  in 
the  next  year  his  journals  were  edited  ami 
published  by  the  Kev.  Daniel  Haskel. 

Harmon  had  been  brought  up  in  a  New 
England  home,  and  the  drunkenness  and 
vice  of  the  wild  life  were  at  first  repugnant 
to  him.  Frequent  loneliness  increased  a  nat- 
ural tendency  to  introspection,  and  in  1813 
a  severe  inward  struggle  ended  in  his  con- 

V 

544460 


VI  IXTRODUCTION" 

version  (p.  195).  The  reverend  editor,  who 
frankly  states  in  his  preface  that  he  rewrote 
the  whole  work,  and  that  its  style  "is  not 
properly  my  own,  nor  that  of  Mr.  Harmon, 
but  something  between  both,"  has  often  been 
accused  of  having  amplified,  and  even  in- 
serted, the  frequent  moralisings,  which  con- 
trast oddly  with  other  passages  of  the  work, 
such  as  that  in  which  Harmon  records  his 
reasons  for  taking  an  Indian  concubine 
(p.  118).  But  the  lessons  learned  at  the 
knee  of  a  New  England  mother  are  slow  to 
be  uprooted,  and  though  the  words  are  ob- 
viously those  of  the  editor,  I  see  no  reason  to 
doubt  that  the  sentiments  are  those  of  the 
traveller. 

At  this  time  the  competition  of  the  N.  W. 
Co.,  the  X.  Y.  Co.,  and  the  H.  B.  Co.  drove 
their  agents  to  all  lengths  to  get  furs,  and 
drunkenness  among  the  Indians  was  at  its 
worst.  Here  are  two  extracts  from  the  diary 
of  Alexander  Henry  the  younger,  a  con- 
temporary of  Harmon. 

"Sunday,  Jan.  1,  1801,  I  gave  my  men 
some  high  wine,  flour  and  sugar ;  the  Indians 
purchased  liquor,  and  by  sunrise  every  soul  of 
them  was  raving  drunk — even  the  children. 

"April  30,  1804.  Indians  having  asked  for 
liquor,  and  having  promised  to  decamp  and 
hunt  well  all  summer,  I  gave  them  some. 
Grande   Gueule   stabbed   Capot   Eouge,   Le- 


INTRODUCTIOX  Vll 

Boeuf  stabbed  his  young  wife  in  the  arm. 
Little  Shell  almost  beat  his  mother's  brains 
out  with  a  club,  and  there  was  terrible  fight- 
ing among  them.     I  sowed  garden  seeds." 

Yet  if  the  red  man  became  a  fiend  under 
the  influence  of  drink,  when  sober  he  was  a 
kindly  host,  and  an  unwearied  guide  and 
trapper.  The  half-breeds,  too,  though  they 
drove  Harmon  to  say  that  he  would  rather 
have  fifty  drunken  Indians  about  than  five 
Canadians  (p.  v3),  were  nevertheless  such 
hardy  voyageurs  that  the  American  J.  J. 
Astor  said  of  them  that  one  Canadian  was 
worth  three  Americans  for  river  service. 
Moreover,  after  the  i^.  W.  Co.  became  in 
1821  merged  in  the  H.  B.  C.  a  stricter  con- 
trol was  exercised. 

Concubinage  between  white  and  red  was 
universal,  and  was  looked  on  by  the  Indian 
maidens  as  rather  an  honour;  so  that  Mr. 
Haskel  tells  us  that  when  the  men  returned 
to  civilisation  "these  women  and  children 
.  .  .  have  become  so  numerous  as  to  be  a 
burden  to  the  concern;  and  a  rule  has  been 
established  that  no  person  in  the  service  of 
the  Company  shall  hereafter  take  a  woman 
from  among  the  natives  to  reside  with  him, 
as  a  sufficient  number  of  a  mixed  blood  can  be 
found  who  are  already  connected  with  the 
Company." 

Yet  this   evil   can  be  exaggerated.     The 


Viii  INTRODUCTION" 

white  man  was  usually  faithful  to  his  squaw, 
and  on  his  departure  either  made  suitable 
provision  for  her  and  for  her  children,  or 
even  brought  her  back  with  him  to  civilisa- 
tion. This  was  tlie  case  with  Harmon,  who 
married  his  Cree  bride  in  due  form,  and  be- 
gat fourteen  children,  some  of  the  descend- 
ants of  whom  are  living  in  Canada  to-day. 

W.  L.  Grant. 


PREFACE, 

BY    THE    EDITOR 


TTAVING  prepared  the  following  work  for 
■■■-^  the  press,  I  have  a  few  things  to  say 
respecting  it,  and  the  part  in  regard  to  it,, 
which  I  have  performed. 

The  authour  of  these  Voyages  and  Travels,, 
had  no  thought,  while  in  the  N.  W.  Country, 
of  making  publick  his  Journal.  It  was  com- 
menced and  continued,  partly  for  his  own 
amusement,  and  partly  to  gratify  his  friends, 
who,  he  thought,  would  be  pleased  to  be- 
informed,  with  some  particularity,  on  his 
return,  how  his  time  had  been  employed, 
during  his  absence.  When  he  returned  to 
civilized  society,  he  found  that  curiosity  was 
awake,  in  regard  to  the  state  of  the  country 
which  he  had  visited ;  and  the  repeated  ques- 
tions, relating  to  this  subject,  which  he  was 
called  upon  to  answer,  together  with  the 
suggestions  of  some  persons,  in  whose  judg- 
ment he  placed  much  confidence,  that  such  a 
publication  might  be  useful,  first  determined 
him  to  commit  the  following  work  to  th© 
press. 


X  PREFACE. 

Had  he  carried  into  the  wilderness  a  greater 
stock  of  general  information,  and  expected, 
on  his  return,  to  appear  in  this  manner  before 
the  publick,  his  inquiries  would  undoubtedly 
have  been  more  extensive,  and  the  result  of 
them  would  be  more  satisfactory,  to  men  of 
science.  Had  literary  men  been  in  the  habit 
of  traversing  the  regions  which  he  has  visited, 
he  would  have  left  it  to  them,  to  give  an 
account  of  them  to  the  publick.  Having  re- 
mained nineteen  years  in  the  interiour  of 
North  America,  without  visiting,  during  that 
time,  the  civilized  part  of  the  world,  and 
having,  many  times,  changed  the  place  of  his 
residence,  while  there,  he  has  had  an  oppor- 
tunity for  taking  a  wide  survey  of  the  coun- 
try, and  of  its  inhabitants ;  and  if  the  infor- 
mation which  he  has  collected,  be  not  equal 
to  his  opportunities,  it  is  such  as  no  other 
existing  publication  will  fully  afford. 

McKenzie's  Voyages  give  some  account  of 
a  considerable  part  of  the  country  which  is 
here  described.  His  residence  in  it,  however, 
was  much  shorter  than  that  of  the  authour 
of  this  work,  and  his  personal  acquaintance 
with  the  different  parts  of  it,  was  much  more 
limited.  It  is  not  intended,  by  this  remark 
to  detract  from  the  reputation,  which  that 
respectable  traveller  and  his  work,  have  de- 
servedly gained.  By  his  toilsome  and  dan- 
gerous voyage  to  the  North  Sea,  and  by 
leading  the  way,  through  the  Rocky  Moun- 
tains, to   the    Pacific    Ocean,  he  has  richly 


PREFACE.  xl 

merited  the  commendation  which  he  has 
received.  By  comparing  the  following  work 
with  that  of  McKenzie,  it  will  appear,  that, 
though  the  geographical  details  are  less 
minute,  the  country  surveyed,  if  we  except  the 
voyage  to  the  North  Sea,  which  is  wholly 
out  of  the  sphere  of  this  publication,  is  con- 
siderably more  extensive;  and  the  informa- 
tion, in  regard  to  the  inhabitants,  is  much 
more  particular.  Considerable  additions  are 
here  made,  to  the  existing  stock  of  geo- 
graphical information,  particularly  as  it  re- 
spects the  country  beyond  the  Rocky  Moun- 
tains. The  basis  of  the  map,  here  given  to 
the  publick,  is  that  of  Sir  Alexander  McKen- 
zie, drawn  by  Arrowsmith.  That  map  has 
received  many  corrections,  and  to  it  many 
important  additions  have  been  made,  by  the 
authour  of  this  work ;  so  that  it  is  presumed 
now  to  be  the  most  correct  map  of  the  in- 
teriour  of  North  America,  which  has  ever 
been  published. 

Literary  men  have  recently  taken  much 
interest  in  comparing  the  different  Indian 
languages,  spoken  on  this  continent,  with 
each  other,  and  with  other  languages,  par- 
ticularly with  those  anciently  spoken  on  the 
other  continent.  A  very  considerable  vocab- 
ulary of  the  one  which  is  spoken,  with  a 
little  variation  of  dialect,  through  the  long 
tract  of  country,  from  a  little  back  of  Mon- 
treal to  the  Rocky  Mountains,  and  one  less 
extensive  of  the  principal  language  spoken 


Mi  PREFACE. 

beyond  it,  are  here  given.  Sir  Alexander 
McKenzie  has  given  a  vocabulary  of  the  first, 
which  will  be  found,  on  comparison,  to  be 
somewhat  different  from  that,  which  is  con- 
tained in  this  work.  Two  reasons  may  be 
assigned  for  this.  In  the  country  about  the 
Athabasca  Lake,  where  McKenzie  principally 
resided,  the  Cree  or  Knisteneux  language  is, 
in  some  measure,  a  mixed  dialect ;  and  it  is 
far  less  pure,  than  that  which  is  spoken  by 
the  inhabitants  of  the  plains.  The  words, 
also,  are  spelled  by  McKenzie,  much  accord- 
ing to  the  French  sound  of  the  letters,  which 
is  frequently  calculated  to  mislead  an  English 
reader.  Thus,  the  name  of  God,  or  the  Good 
Spirit,  which  McKenzie  spells  Ki-jai-Manitou, 
is  here  spelled  Kitch-e-mon-e-too.  The  above 
remark  will  account,  in  a  great  measure,  for 
this  difference;  and  for  that  which  will  be 
found,  in  the  spelling  of  many  other  words. 
This  is  the  native  language  of  the  wife  of 
Mr.  Harmon,  (for  so  I  may  now  call  her, 
as  they  have  been  regularly  married)  and 
great  pains  have  been  taken  to  make  this 
vocabulary  correct,  by  marking  the  nice 
distinctions  in  the  sound  of  the  words,  as 
derived  from  her  repeated  pronunciation  of 
them.  With  this  language  he  is,  also,  well 
acquainted,  since  it  has  been  daily  spoken 
in  his  family,  and  by  himself,  for  many 
years. 

The  education  of  the  authour  of  this  work 
was  not  classical ;  and  had  it  been  more  ex- 


PREFACE.  xiii 

tensive  than  it  was,  a  residence  for  more 
than  half  of  his  Ufe,  since  he  has  arrived  to 
years  of  understanding,  in  a  country  where 
the  English  language  is  rarety  spoken,  would 
have  poorly  qualified  him  to  give  to  this 
publication,  a  suitable  English  dress. 

The  editor  undertook  the  business  of  pre- 
paring this  work  for  the  press,  with  some 
reluctance,  arising  from  the  shortness  of  the 
time  that  could  be  allowed  him  for  the  per- 
formance of  it,  and  the  numerous  avocations 
of  the  gospel  ministry,  which  would  leave 
but  a  part  of  that  time  at  his  own  com- 
mand. For  undertaking  it  at  all,  in  such 
circumstances,  his  only  apology  is,  that,  in 
the  opinion  of  the  authour,  there  was  no 
other  person,  conveniently  situated  for  per- 
sonal intercourse  with  him,  who  would  be 
willing  to  undertake  it,  whose  circumstances 
would  be  more  favourable.  It  is  by  the  par- 
ticular request  of  the  authour,  and  not  be- 
cause I  suppose  that  I  have  performed  the 
office  of  an  editor,  in  a  manner  creditable  to 
myself,  that  I  have  consented  to  connect  my 
name  with  this  publication. 

The  following  work  was  furnished  to  my 
hand,  fully  written  out;  and  though  I  have 
written  it  wholly  over,  I  should  have  been 
much  better  able  to  satisfy  myself,  with  re- 
spect to  its  style,  if  I  could  as  fully  have 
possessed  the  materials,  in  the  form  of  notes 
and  sketches,  or  by  verbal  recitals.  Every 
man's   own    mind  is  the  mould  of  his  Ian- 


xiv  PREFACE. 

guage;  and  he  who  has  attempted  to  vary 
that  of  another,  if  he  be  at  all  accustomed 
to  writing,  must  have  found  the  task  more 
diflBcult  than  original  composition.  The 
style  of  this  work  is  not  properly  my  own, 
nor  that  of  Mr.  Harmon,  but  something 
between  both. 

There  is  one  subject,  on  which  I  wish 
especially  to  address  a  few  remarks,  through 
the  medium  of  this  preface,  to  the  christian 
publick,  and  to  all  who  feel  any  regard  for 
the  welfare  of  the  Indian  tribes,  whose  con- 
dition is  unfolded  in  this  work.  As  Mr. 
Harmon  has  returned  to  the  interiour  of 
North  America,  and,  therefore,  the  obser- 
vations which  follow,  will  not  be  submitted 
to  his  inspection,  before  they  are  made  pub- 
lick,  the  editor  alone  must  be  made  account- 
able for  them. 

In  surveying  the  widely  extended  trade  of 
the  North  West  Company,  we  perceive  evi- 
dence of  an  energy  and  perseverance,  highly 
creditable  to  the  members  of  it,  as  men  of 
business.  They  have  explored  the  western 
wilds,  and  planted  their  establishments  over 
a  tract  of  country,  some  thousands  of  miles 
in  extent.  They  have  made  the  savages  of 
the  wilderness  tributary  to  the  comJorts  of 
civilized  society ;  and  in  many  instances,  they 
have  exhibited  a  surprising  fortitude,  in  ex- 
posing themselves  to  hardship  and  to  danger. 

The  souls  of  the  Indians  are  of  more  value 
than  their  furs;  and  to  raise  this  people  in 


PREFACE.  xr 

the  scale  of  intellectual  existence,  to  sur- 
round them  with  the  comforts  of  civilization, 
to  rescue  them  from  the  gloom  of  supersti- 
tion, to  mould  their  hearts  to  christian 
kindness,  and  to  cheer  their  dying  hour  with 
a  well  founded  hope  of  immortal  glory  and 
blessedness,  constitutes  an  aggregate  of  good 
sufficient  to  call  forth  exertion  for  their  relief. 
The  time  is  rapidly  coming,  when  christian 
benevolence  will  emulate  the  activity  and  per- 
severance, which  have  long  been  displayed  in 
commercial  enterprizes ;  when  no  country  will 
remain  unexplored  by  the  heralds  of  the 
cross,  where  immortal  souls  are  shrouded 
in  the  darkness  of  heathenism,  and  are  per- 
ishing for  lack  of  vision.  The  wandering  and 
benighted  sons  of  our  own  forests,  shall  not 
be  overlooked.  They  are  not  a  race  aban- 
doned by  God,  to  inevitable  destruction; 
though  the  idea  has,  strangely,  gotten  pos- 
session of  some  minds.  In  proportion  to 
the  efforts  which  have  been  made,  perhaps 
no  missions  to  the  heathen  have  been 
crowned  with  greater  success,  than  those  to 
the  American  Aborigines.  To  this  fact,  the 
fruit  of  the  labours  of  Elliott,  of  the  May- 
hews,  of  Brainerd,  of  the  Moravians,  and, 
especially  of  the  recent  establishment  among 
the  Cherokees,  will  bear  abundant  witness. 

The  Indian  tribes,  whose  condition  is  un- 
folded in  this  work,  have  claims  upon  chris- 
tian compassion;  and  some  facts,  which  the 
authour  has  disclosed  to  me,  have  led  me  to 


xvi  PREFACE. 

suppose,  that  a  missionary  establishment 
might  be  made,  with  reference  to  their  in- 
struction, with  a  fair  prospect  of  success,  and 
with  less  expense,  than  ordinarily  attends 
such  operations. 

In   the   numerous   establishments    of    the 
North  West  Company,  there  are  from  twelve 
to  fifteen  hundred  women  and  children,  who 
are  wholly,  or  in  part,  of  Indian  extraction. 
Women  have,  from  time  to  time,  been  taken 
from  among  the  Natives,  to  reside   in   the 
forts,  by  the  men  in  the  service  of  the  Com- 
pany; and  families  have  been  reared,  which 
have  generally  been  left  in  the  country,  when 
these  men  have  retired  to  the  civilized  parts 
of  the  world.    These   women   and   children, 
with  a  humanity   which   deserves   commen- 
dation, are  not  turned  over  to  the  savages; 
but  they  are  fed,  if  not  clothed,  by  the  Com- 
pany.   They  have  become  so  numerous,  as 
to  be  a  burden  to  the  concern;  and  a  rule 
has  been  established,  that  no  person,  in  the 
service  of  the  Company,  shall  hereafter  take 
a  woman  from  among  the  Natives  to  reside 
with  him,  as  a  suflBcient  number,  of  a  mixed 
blood,  can  be  found,  who  are  already  con- 
nected with  the  Company.    There  are,  also, 
in  the  N.  W.  country,  many  superannuated 
Canadians,  who  have  spent  the  flower  of  their 
days  in  the  service   of   the    Company,  who 
have    families   that   they   are   unwilling   to 
leave;  and  having  nothing  to  attract  them 
to  the  civilized  world,  they  continue  undeif 


PREFACE.  xvii 

the  protection  of  the  Company,  and  are  sup- 
plied by  them,  with  the  necessaries  of  life. 

A  plan  has  been  in  contemplation,  to  pro- 
vide for  the  future  maintenance  of  these 
people,  and  for  the  relief  of  the  Company 
from  an  increasing  burden,  which  is,  to  es- 
tablish a  settlement  on  the  Rainy  Lake 
River,  where  the  soil  is  excellent,  to  which 
the  people,  above  mentioned,  may  resort. 
To  enable  them  to  make  a  beginning,  in  the 
cultivation  of  the  land,  and  in  the  erection  of 
mills,  &c.,  the  Company  propose  to  give 
them  fifteen  or  twenty  thousand  dollars, 
and  to  appoint  one  of  the  Partners  to  super- 
intend the  affairs  of  the  settlement,  for 
three  years,  or  for  a  longer  time,  if  it  shall 
be  necessary. 

It  appears  highly  probable,  that  a  set- 
tlement might  thus  be  formed,  which,  in  a 
few  years,  would  secure  to  those  who  should 
belong  to  it,  the  comforts  of  life,  as  the  fruit 
of  their  own  industry;  .and  should  they 
prosper,  so  far  as  to  raise  a  supply  beyond 
their  own  necessities,  it  might,  with  mutual 
advantage,  be  disposed  of  to  the  Company. 

The  Partners  and  Clerks  of  the  North 
West  Company,  who  are  in  the  Indian  coun- 
try, as  well  as  some  of  those  who  reside  in 
Canada,  and  elsewhere,  have  subscribed  sev- 
eral thousand  dollars,  toward  the  establish- 
ment of  a  school,  either  at  the  Rainy  Lake, 
or  at  Fort  William,  for  the  instruction  of  the 
children,  connected  with  their  establishments. 


xviii  PREFACE. 

Some  of  these  children  are  the  offspring  of 
parents,  who  survey  their  comparative  deg- 
radation, with  the  deep  interest  of  a  strong 
natural  affection,  who  are  able  to  bear  the 
expense  of  their  education,  and  who  would 
cheerfully  contribute,  in  this  way,  to  raise 
them  to  increased  respectability,  comfort  and 
usefulness.  Should  this  school  be  established, 
such  persons  would  be  required  to  support 
their  children,  who  should  belong  to  it ;  while 
the  children  of  the  poor,  would  be  taught 
gratuitously. 

These  facts  have  opened  to  my  mind  a 
prospect,  to  which  I  wish  to  direct  the  eye 
of  christian  benevolence.  I  would  ask,  with 
deep  interest,  some  one  of  the  institutions, 
whose  object  is  the  diffusion  of  civilization 
and  Christianity  among  the  Indian  tribes, 
whether  a  missionary  establishment  might 
not  be  formed,  in  concert  with  the  North 
West  Company,  which  would,  with  much 
less  trouble  and  even  expense  to  them,  ac- 
complish the  object  which  the  Company 
have  in  view,  than  any  establishment  which 
they  could  independently  make;  and  which 
would,  at  the  same  time,  have  a  most  aus- 
picious bearing  upon  the  religious  interests 
of  the  tribes  of  the  N.  W.  Country. 

A  school  for  the  instruction  of  children  in 
the  arts  of  life,  and  in  the  rudiments  of 
science,  as  well  as  in  the  principles  of  the 
christian  religion,  forms  the  basis  of  the  most 
eflacient  missionary  exertions  among  the  In- 


PREFACE.  xix 

dians.  The  school  among  the  Cherokees,  Is 
a  most  interesting  object  to  christian  be- 
nevolence; and  as  the  fruit  of  it,  the  light 
of  science,  and  the  still  brighter  light  of  the 
Sun  of  Righteousness,  is  shedding  a  cheering 
radiance  over  many  minds,  that  would  other- 
wise have  been  shrouded  in  intellectual  and 
moral  darkness.  The  school  has  received  the 
unqualified  approbation  of  men  of  all  de- 
scriptions who  have  visited  it,  among  whom 
are  many  persons  of  the  most  distinguished 
character  and  rank  in  civil  life.  If  such  a 
school  were  established,  at  a  convenient 
place  in  the  N.  W.  Country,  it  would  be  as 
the  Day  Spring  from  on  High  to  a  region, 
now  overspread  by  an  intellectual  and  moral 
midnight. 
\  Men,  occupied  as  the  gentlemen  of  the 
North  West  Company  are,  in  the  overwhelm- 
ing cares  of  a  vast  commercial  concern, 
would  find  it  difficult  to  bestow  all  that  at- 
tention on  a  school  for  the  instruction  of 
the  children  and  youth,  now  in  their  estab- 
lishments, whom  they  might  think  it  proper 
to  educate,  which  would  be  necessary  to 
secure  its  proper  management.  Could  this 
care  be  entirely  taken  off  their  hands,  by 
men  of  known  and  approved  characters, 
acting  under  a  responsibility  to  some  re- 
spectable society ;  by  men  who  would  feel  all 
the  interests  which  christian  benevolence  can 
create  in  the  welfare  of  the  children  and 
youth  committed  to  their  care,  it  does  ap- 


XX  PREFACE. 

pear  to  me,  that  they  would  gladly  co-oper- 
ate with  them. 

As  the  North  West  Company  from  motives 
of  interest,  as  well  as  from  more  noble  con- 
siderations, would  contribute  something  to 
the  support  of  such  an  establishment,  should 
it  meet  their  approbation,  the  expense  of  it 
would,  of  course,  be  less  to  the  society  that 
should  embark  in  the  undertaking,  than  is 
commonly  incurred,  in  establishments  of  this 
sort. 

The  children  and  youth  above  mentioned, 
might  be  instructed  in  the  arts  of  civilized 
life,  in  science  and  in  Christianity,  with  much 
greater  ease  than  the  children  of  the  Natives, 
even  if  they  could  as  easily  be  obtained; 
and  when  instructed,  they  would  be  equally 
promising,  as  the  instruments  of  spreading 
civilization  and  the  religion  of  the  gospel, 
among  the  Indian  tribes.  They  have  always 
been  habituated  to  a  life,  in  a  great  measure 
settled;  and  they  would,  therefore,  endure 
confinement,  better  than  children  who  have 
lived  among  the  wandering  savages.  They 
are  partially  civilized,  by  an  intercourse  with 
those,  who  have  carried  into  the  wilderness 
many  of  the  feelings  and  habits  of  civilized 
society.  They  would  not  be  liable  to  be 
withdrawn,  at  an  Improper  time,  from  the 
place  of  their  education,  by  the  whims  and 
caprice  of  unstable  parents.  At  the  same 
time,  being  familiarly  acquainted  with  the 
manners   and   customs   and   feelings    of  the 


PREFACE.  xxl 

savages,  by  a  frequent  intercourse  with  them, 
being  able  to  speak  their  languages,  and 
having  some  of  the  Indian  blood  circulating 
in  their  veins,  they  would,  when  properly  in- 
structed, be  as  well  qualified  to  gain  access 
to  the  Natives,  and  to  have  influence  over 
them,  as  if  they  had  originally  been  taken, 
directly  from  their  families. 

As  this  establishment  could  probably  be 
made,  with  the  greatest  convenience,  within 
the  British  dominions,  it  might,  perhaps,  be 
undertaken  with  the  surest  prospect  of  suc- 
cess, by  some  society  in  Great  Britain.  The 
Society  in  Scotland  for  Propagating  Christian 
Knowledge  has,  heretofore,  contributed  to 
the  support  of  missionaries  among  the  Ameri- 
can Indians;  and  might,  perhaps,  be  willing 
to  engage  in  this  undertaking.  The  Society 
in  Massachusetts  for  Propagating  the  Gospel 
among  the  Indians  of  North  America  has, 
in  some  instances,  if  I  mistake  not,  acted  in 
concert  with  the  Society  in  Scotland,  above 
mentioned ;  and  might,  perhaps,  conveniently 
do  it  in  this  instance.  Every  association, 
however,  who  may  become  acquainted  with 
the  facts  here  disclosed,  will  be  able  them- 
selves, to  judge  most  correctly,  of  their  own 
resources,  and  of  their  own  duty. — At  Fort 
William,  on  Lake  Superior,  a  very  consider- 
able number  of  the  partners  of  the  North  West 
Company  assemble  annually,  about  the  mid- 
dle of  June,  at  which  meeting,  many  impor- 
tant arrangements  are  made,  respecting  the 


xxii  PREFACE. 

business  of  the  Company.  At  such  a  meeting 
an  agent  from  some  benevolent  association, 
might  ascertain  their  feelings,  in  regard  to 
such  an  establishment  as  I  have  proposed. 

The  Aborigines  of  America,  are  capable  of 
being  exalted  in  the  scale  of  existence,  an(f 
of  arriving,  even  at  eminence,  in  the  arts  and 
sciences.  The  native  oratory  of  some  of 
them,  is  proverbial  in  civilized  countries, 
and  has  caused  them  to  be  enrolled  among 
the  sous  of  genius.  Many  of  them  afford 
proof,  that  they  possess  acute  and  compre- 
hensive minds ;  and  as  a  people,  their  mental 
capacity  is  certainly  respectable.  Nor,  per- 
haps, can  a  people  be  found  on  the  earth 
who  are  not  raised  above  them  by  superior 
cultivation  and  means  of  improvement,  who 
possess  greater  elevation  of  feeling,  and  who 
appear  more  majestick  in  ruins.  Their  vir- 
tues and  their  vices  too,  are  not  those  of 
ignoble  minds.  Let  their  condition  be  im- 
proved by  the  arts  of  civilized  life,  their 
minds  be  enlightened  by  science,  and  their 
hearts  be  softened  by  the  genial  influence  of 
Christianity,  and  they  will  assume  a  respect- 
able rank  among  the  nations.  Could  v/e  hear 
some  of  their  superior  geniuses  unfold  to 
their  countrymen  the  wonderful  scheme  of 
redeeming  mercy,  with  the  brilliancy  and 
pathos,  which  have  characterised  some  of 
their  speeches,  on  the  interests  of  their  tribes, 
—with  a  brilliancy,  rendered  more  splendid 
by  cultivation,   and  a  pathos,  made  doubly 


PREFACE.  xxiii 

tender  by  the  softening  influence  of  the  gos- 
pel, who  would  not  listen  to  them  with  ad- 
miration and  with  pleasure?  Might  we  not 
hope  that,  by  the  blessing  of  God,  they  would 
be  made  the  honoured  and  happy  instru- 
ments, of  turning  many  of  their  countrymen, 
from  the  errour  of  their  ways  to  the  wis- 
dom of  the  just.  Could  numbers  of  them  be 
brought  to  concert  plans  for  the  extension 
of  the  gospel,  in  the  North  Western  wilds, 
with  the  skill,  and  to  execute  them  with  the 
fortitude  and  perseverance,  which  they  dis- 
play in  warring  upon  each  other,  the  hap- 
piest results  might  be  expected. 

Whether  the  suggestions  here  made  deserve 
consideration  or  not,  I  cheerfully  submit  to 
the  wisdom  and  benevolence  of  those,  for 
whom  they  were  especially  intended.  Such 
has  been  my  own  view  of  the  importance  of 
the  subject  here  presented,  that  I  should 
have  charged  myself  with  a  culpable  neglect, 
if  I  had  failed  to  improve  this  opportunity, 
to  hold  it  up  to  the  attention  of  the  christian 
publick. 

DANIEL  HASKEL. 

Burlington,  Vt.,  August  2,  1820. 


CONTENTS 


Introduction. 


.V 


Editor's  Preface , ..■,..,», ix 

Journal  Begins k... «...«.. «..*«..« I 

Character  of  the  Canadian  Voyagers 235 

Account  of  the  Indians  Living  West  of  the 
Rocky  Mountains 237 

Account  of  the  Indians  on  the  East  Side  of  the 
Rocky  Mountains.......,*. «... 267 

Specimen  of  the  Chee  or  Knisteneux  Tongue.  .335 

Account  of  the  Principal  Animals  Found  in  the 
Northwestern  Part  of  North  America 365 


JOURNAL. 


April,  1800. 

Tuesday,  29.  La  Chine.  Yesterday,  I  left 
Montreal,  for  this  place,  in  company  with 
several  other  Clerks ;  and  am  on  my  way  to 
the  interiour,  or  Indian  couiitries,  there  to 
remain,  if  my  life  should  be  spared,  for  seven 
years,  at  least.  For  this  space  of  time  I  am 
under  an  engagement  to  serve  as  a  clerk  to 
the  North  West  Company,  otherwise  denomi- 
nated McTavish,  Frobisher  &  Co.  The  goods 
intended  for  the  interiour  or  upper  countries, 
are  here  put  on  board  of  canoes.  These 
canoes  which  are  constructed  of  the  bark  of 
the  birch  tree,  will  carry  a  burden  of  three 
and  an  half  or  four  tons  each ;  and  are  sever- 
ally manned  by  eight  or  nine  Canadians, 
who  are  said  to  manage  them  with  greater 
dexterity,  than  any  other  people. 

Wednesdny,  SO.  Point  Claire.  Rainy  even- 
ing. For  the  first  time  in  my  life,  I  am  to 
pass  the  night  in  a  tent.  In  the  former  part 
of  the  day,  I  was  employed  in  marking  bales 
of  goods,  which  are  to  be  sent  to  the  Grand 
Portage  or  General  Rendezvous.     About  12 


2  HARMON'S  JOURNAL. 

o'clock,  I  embarked  on  board  of  one  of  the 
canoes,  destined  for  the  above  mentioned 
place.  The  whole  squadron,  which  consists 
of  thirty  canoes,  is  divided  into  three  bri- 
gades. One  or  two  Guides  or  Pilots  are  at- 
tached to  each  brigade.  Their  business  is, 
to  point  out  the  best  course  up  and  down 
the  streams  and  through  the  lakes,  and  to 
take  charge  of  the  canoes  and  property  on 
board.  They  attend  to  the  repairs  of  the 
canoes,  which  are  frequently  broken,  and 
have  the  same  command  over  the  men,  at- 
tached to  their  respective  brigades,  as  the 
commander  of  a  vessel  has,  over  the  men  on 
board.  The  Voyagers,  as  the  men  are  called, 
have  many  of  the  customs  of  sailors;  and 
among  them  the  following.  By  all  those  on 
board,  who  have  never  passed  certain  places, 
they  expect  to  be  treated  with  something  to 
drink ;  and  should  a  person  refuse  to  comply 
with  their  requisitions,  he  would  be  sure  of 
being  plunged  into  the  water,  which  they 
profanely  call,  baptizing  him.  To  avoid  such 
a  disaster,  I  gave  the  people  of  my  canoe  a 
few  bottles  of  spirits  and  port;er,  by  drinking 
which,  they  became  very  merry,  and  exhib- 
ited the  reverse  of  their  appearance  a  few 
days  since,  when,  with  heavy  hearts  and 
weeping  eyes,  they  parted  from  their  rela- 
tions. Shortly  after  we  had  pitched  our 
tents,  an  Irish  gentleman,  whose  house  was 
near  the  margin  of  the  water,  politely  in. 
vited  me  to  take  tea  with  him. 


HARMON'S  JOURNAL.  3 

Friday,  May  2.  Chute  au  Blondeau.  We 
have  a  strong  head  wind.  But,  since  yester- 
day morning,  we  have  come  nearly  sixty 
miles,  and  have  passed  two  Rapids.  At  these 
places,  most  of  the  property  was  taken  out 
of  the  canoes,  and  carried  across  the  Port- 
ages, on  the  backs  of  the  people.  The  young 
men,  who  have  never  been  in  the  Indian  coun- 
tries, now  began  to  regret  that  they  had 
enlisted  into  this  service,  which  requires  them, 
as  they  say,  to  carry  burdens  like  horses, 
when,  by  remaining  in  their  own  country, 
they  might  have  laboured  like  men. 

Sunday,  4.  The  wind  has  been  so  high, 
during  the  whole  of  the  day,  that  we  could 
not  go  upon  the  water.  I  have  therefore 
passed  the  time  in  reading,  and  in  the  so- 
ciety of  a  fellow-clerk. 

Monday,  5.  We  are  now  about  one  hun- 
dred and  twenty  miles  from  Montreal.  This 
afternoon,  our  people  killed  a  deer,  with  their 
setting  poles,  as  he  was  crossing  the  river. 

Tuesday,  6.  The  Three  Kettles.  In  the 
former  part  of  the  day,  we  passed  a  beauti- 
ful water-fall,  where  the  Riviere  au  Rideau, 
or  Curtain  River,  falls  into  this,  which  is  the 
Ottawa  River.  The  former  is  ten  or  twelve 
rods  wide,  and  the  water  falls  perpendicularly, 
about  forty  feet,  presenting  at  a  little  dis- 
tance, an  appearance  at  once  pleasing  and 
grand.  We  are  now  about  one  hundred  and 
fifty  miles  from  Montreal;  the  land  on  each 
side  of  the  river  is  very  level,  and  the  soil 


4  HARMON'S  JOURNAL. 

appears  to  be  good.  William  McGilvray, 
Esq.  passed  us  this  evening,  in  a  light  canoe, 
bound  like  ourselves,  to  the  Grand  Portage. 

Thursday,  8.  Au  Chat.  We  now,  for  the 
first  time,  see  Indian  huts  or  tents. 

Friday,  9.  We  arrived  this  morning,  at 
this  place,  where  the  North  West  Company 
have  a  small  establishment ;  and  I  have 
passed  the  afternoon,  in  shooting  pigeons. 

Saturday,  10.  Grand  Calumet.  This  Port- 
uge  is  nearly  two  miles  long;  and  over 
\t,  the  people  carry  both  the  canoes  and  their 
loading.  Here  stands  a  house,  built  by  those 
who  came  here  to  traffick  with  the  Indians; 
but  which  has  been  abandoned  for  several 
years,  as  the  Indians,  who  formerly  hunted 
in  this  vicinity,  are  now  gone  farther  north, 
where  Beaver,  «5;c.  are  found  in  greater 
plenty.  Behind  this  house,  I  found  a  small 
bark  canoe,  in  which  I  embarked  alone,  for 
the  purpose  of  shooting  ducks.  Having  pro- 
ceeded some  distance  from  the  shore,  the 
canoe  overset,  and  I  fell,  with  my  gun,  into 
the  water.  Having  my  great  coat  on,  it 
was  with  no  small  difficulty  that  I  reached 
the  shore;  and  I  was  happy  to  escape,  with 
the  loss  of  only  my  gun. 

Sunday,  11.  We  are  encamped  on  an  Is- 
land opposite  to  Fort  Coulonge.  Soon  after 
we  arrived  here,  the  person  who  has  the 
establishment  in  charge,  came  to  invite  a 
fellow-clerk,  who  travels  in  the  same  canoe 
with  me,  and  myself,  to  sup  with  him,  to 


HARMON'S  JOURNAL.  5 

which  I  readily  agreed;  but  my  companion 
chose  to  remain  with  the  canoes.  I  was 
treated  with  all  the  politeness  of  which  a 
Canadian  is  master,  which  is  not  a  little; 
for  in  this,  as  well  as  in  manj'^  other  respects, 
the  Canadians  resemble  their  ancestors,  the 
French. 

Monday,  12.  We  are  encamped  on  a  large 
sand  bank.  I  have  had  a  little  conversation 
with  my  fellow-traveller,  respecting  his  con- 
duct the  last  evening,  while  I  was  absent. 
When  I  departed  for  the  Fort,  I  gave  him 
the  keys  of  our  travelling  box  and  basket, 
that  he  might  have  the  means  of  making  a 
supper ;  and  on  my  return,  I  was  not  a  little 
surprised  at  finding  not  only  him,  but  sev- 
eral of  the  common  labourers,  much  intoxi- 
cated. I  reprimanded  Mr.  P.  with  consider- 
able severity,  to-day,  and  told  him,  that  if 
I  should  ever  again  find  him  in  the  like 
shameful  condition,  I  should  be  under  the 
disagreeable  necessity  of  informing  our  em- 
ployers of  his  conduct,  as  soon  as  we  should 
reach  Head-quarters.  He  promised  that  he 
would  not  again  be  guilty  of  such  conduct; 
but  I  should  place  more  reliance  on  his 
promise,  had  not  his  mother  been  a  squaw. 
There  seems  to  be  in  the  blood  of  an  Indian, 
a  kind  of  predisposition  to  intemperance. — 
We  barter  with  the  natives,  receiving  sugar 
for  biscuit,  of  which,  as  well  as  of  pork,  beef 
and  spirits,  they  appear  to  be  uncommonly 
fond. 


6  HARMON'S  JOURNAL. 

Tuesday,  13.  We  are  encamped  on  a  rocky 
bank,  where  it  is  impossible  to  find  a  smooth 
place,  suflBciently  large  to  pitch  a  tent;  we 
are  therefore  obliged  to  make  our  bed  be- 
tween two  large  rocks,  and  sleep  in  the  open 
air.  On  the  north  side  of  the  river  are  moun- 
tains, which  appear  almost  destitute  of  tim- 
ber, of  any  kind. 

Wednesday,  14.  We  shall  again  sleep  where 
we  did  last  night,  as  the  people  have  been 
employed,  during  the  whole  of  the  day,  in  re- 
pairing the  canoes,  which  had  become  leaky. 

Thursday,  15.  Roche  Capitaine  Portage. 
This  Portage  is  so  named  from  a  large  rock, 
that  rises  to  a  considerable  height  above 
the  water,  in  the  middle  of  the  rapid.  Dur- 
ing the  day,  we  have  come  up  several  diflScult 
ones,  where  many  persons  have  been  drowned, 
either  in  coming  up  or  going  down.  For 
every  such  unfortunate  person,  whether  his 
corpse  is  found  or  not,  a  cross  is  erected  by 
his  companions,  agreeably  to  a  custom  of 
the  Roman  Catholics;  and  at  this  place,  I 
see  no  less  than  fourteen.  This  is  a  melan- 
choly sight.  It  leads  me  to  reflect  on  the 
folly  and  temerity  of  man,  which  cause  him 
to  press  on  in  the  path,  that  has  conducted 
BO  many  of  his  fellow  creatures,  prematurely 
to  the  grave.  Thus  in  hope  of  gaining  a 
little  money,  which  can  minister  but  imper- 
fectly to  our  comfort,  and  that,  during  a 
short  season,  we  expose  ourselves  to  death. 

Friday,    16.    Came  up  a  rapid  where,  a 


HARMON'S  JOURNAIv.  7 

few  years  since,  two  canoes,  in  going  down, 
were  broken,  and  several  men  were  drowned ; 
therefore,  we  see  more  crosses  erected. 

Saturday,  17.  Roderick  McKenzie,  Esq. 
agent  for  the  North  West  Company,  passed 
us,  who,  with  those  that  accompany  him,  is 
on  his  way  to  the  Grand  Portage. 

Sunday,  18.  The  Lazy  Portage.  This 
day  we  left  the  Ottawa  River  on  our  right 
hand,  and  came  up  a  small  river,  that  falls 
into  it.  About  noon,  we  passed  a  cave,  in 
the  side  of  a  high  hill.  This  cave,  I  am  told, 
is  spacious ;  but  we  were  in  too  great  ha^te, 
to  permit  my  examining  it.  This  I  was  the 
more  incUned  to  do,  as  I  am  told  that  the 
natives  relate  many  remarkable  stories  re- 
specting it ;  and  among  others,  that  a  large 
animal  remains  in  it,  which  they  call  a  Man- 
eater,  and  which  devours  all  those,  who  have 
the  presumption  to  approach  the  entrance,  of 
his  solitary  dwelling. 

Monday,  19.  The  Pines.  Came  up  several 
bad  rapids ;  but  have  been  so  fortunate,  thus 
far,  as  to  meet  with  no  disaster.  The  banks 
on  each  side  of  the  river,  for  a  considerable 
distance,  are  a  perfect  natural  wall,  formed 
of  smooth  stones;  and  are  about  one  hun- 
dred feet  high. 

Tuesday,  20.  La  Vase,  or  Miry-place.  Dur- 
ing the  whole  of  this  day,  we  have  been 
crossing  ponds,  and  small  lakes. 

Wednesday,  21.  After  coming  over  a  num- 
ber of  short  portages,  and  crossing  several 


8  HARMON'S  JOURNAL. 

ponds,  and  descending  a  small  river,  at  the 
source  of  which  is  a  height  of  land,  we  have 
at  length  arrived  at  a  place,  called  the 
Meadows,  which  constitutes  the  north  end  of 
Lake  Nipisangue,  or,  as  it  is  commonly  writ- 
ten, Nippising.  Here  we  find  several  Indians, 
who  appear  to  be  in  poor  circumstances. 
We,  however,  obtain  from  them  a  little  sugar, 
and  a  few  wooden  dishes  and  spoons,  for 
which  we  give  them  provisions. 

Thursday,  22.  Sailed  a  part  of  the  day, 
on  the  above  mentioned  lake;  but,  towards 
noon,  the  wind  was  so  high,  that  we  were 
obliged  to  encamp  on  a  small  island,  which 
is  almost  destitute  of  wood. 

Friday,  23.  The  Lost  Child.  This  place 
took  its  name  from  the  following  circum- 
stance. Several  years  since,  the  natives,  be- 
ing encamped  here,  lost  a  child,  for  whom 
they  made  diligent  search,  but  in  vain.  They 
imagined,  however,  that  they  heard  his 
lamentations  in  the  bowels  of  the  earth; 
whereupon  they  commenced  digging,  but  to 
no  purpose;  the  reason  of  which  they  con- 
ceived to  be,  that  the  Devil,  or  Bad  Spirit, 
as  he  is  called  by  the  Indians,  was  continu- 
ally carrying  him  from  one  place  to  another, 
in  the  earth.  Many  large  holes  have  actually 
been  dug  in  the  earth,  as  our  people  have 
shown  me. 

In  the  morning  we  left  Lake  Nipisangue, 
and  have  ever  since  been  doscending  tlia 
French  River,  v/hich  is  ?.  con;  ir  ?r?ble  fftreain. 


I 


HARMON'S  JOURNAL.  9 

In  the  latter  part  of  the  day,  we  passed 
a  narrow  place  in  the  French  River,  to  which, 
a  number  of  years  since,  many  of  the  most 
abandoned  and  savage  Natives  were  accus- 
tomed to  resort  every  spring,  and  where 
they  built  a  kind  of  Fort,  or  stone  wall, 
which  is  still  to  be  seen.  Behind  this,  these 
villains  secreted  themselves;  and,  when  the 
voyagers  were  passing  by,  discharged  volleys 
of  shot  into  their  canoes,  and  of  course,  as 
the  distance  was  small,  killed  many  of  them. 
They  would  then  rush  from  their  hiding  place, 
and  fall  upon  and  butcher  the  remainder, 
and  go  off  with  the  plunder,  which  they  had 
thus  seized,  into  a  distant  part  of  the  coun- 
try. But  the  better  sort  of  their  country- 
men, would  not  join  them  in  such  barbarous 
and  unprovoked  hostilities.  At  length  the 
good  Indians,  who  were  well  disposed  to- 
wards the  white  people  from  Canada,  pro- 
nounced these  murderers  a  nuisance  to  so- 
ciety, and  made  war  upon  them,  until  the 
greater  part  of  them  were  destroyed.  The  few 
that  survived,  retired  into  a  distant  part  of 
the  country,  and  nothing  has  since  been 
heard,  respecting  them.  The  friendly  Indians, 
for  their  exertions  in  extirpating  their  un- 
worthy relations,  were  handsomely  rewarded 
by  the  North  West  Company. 

The  Canadian  Voyagers,  when  they  leave 
one  stream  to  go  up  or  down  another,  have 
a  custom  of  pulling  off  their  hats,  and  mak- 
ing the  sign  of  the  cross,  upon  which  one  in 


10  HARMON'S  JOURNAL. 

each  canoe,  or  at  least,  in  each  brigade,  re- 
peats a  short  prayer.  The  same  ceremonies 
are  observed  by  them,  whenever  they  pass  a 
place,  where  any  one  has  been  interred,  and 
a  cross  has  been  erected.  Those,  therefore, 
who  are  in  the  habit  of  voyaging  this  way, 
are  obliged  to  say  their  prayers  more  fre- 
quently perhaps,  than  when  at  home;  for 
at  almost  every  rapid  which  we  have  passed, 
since  we  left  Montreal,  we  have  seen  a  num- 
ber of  crosses  erected ;  and  at  one,  I  counted 
no  less  than  thirty !  It  is  truly  melancholy, 
and  discouraging,  seriously  to  reflect  on  the 
great  number  of  my  fellow  creatures,  who 
have  been  brought  to  an  untimely  end,  by 
voyaging  this  way,  as  I  know  not  but  I  shall 
myself,  also,  be  doomed  to  the  same  watery 
grave.  With  such  dismal  spectacles,  however, 
almost  continually  before  our  eyes,  we  press 
forward,  with  all  the  ardour  and  rashness 
of  youth,  in  the  same  dangerous  path,  stimu- 
lated by  the  hopes  of  gratifying  the  eye,  and 
of  securing  a  little  gold. 

Saturday,  24.  Lake  Huron.  We  find  on 
the  shore  of  this  lake,  low  Cranberries,  in 
great  abundance. 

Sunday,  25.  The  wind  has  been  so  high, 
that  it  has  prevented  us  from  sailing,  the 
greater  part  of  the  day.  We  are  encamped 
on  an  island,  of  which  there  are  many  in  this 
lake.  On  one  of  them,  it  is  reported,  that 
the  Natives  killed  a  snake,  which  measured 
thirty-six   feet   in   length.    The   length   and 


HARMON'S  JOURNAL.  11 

size  of  this  astonishing  serpent,  they  h^ 
engraved  on  a  large  smooth  rock,  whicK/ 
saw,  as  we  passed  by.  But  we  have  oft*«u 
seen  other  engravings,  on  the  rocks,  along 
the  rivers  and  lakes,  of  many  different  kinds 
of  animals,  some  of  which,  I  am  told,  are 
not  now  to  be  found,  in  this  part  of  the 
world,  and  probably  never  existed. 

Wednesday,  28.  Island  of  St.  Joseph.  To 
this  place  the  British  troops  came  and  built 
a  fortification,  when  the  Americans  took 
possession  of  Michilimackinack.  There  are 
stationed  here  one  Captain,  one  Lieutenant, 
one  Ensign,  and  thirty  nine  privates.  The 
fort  is  built  on  a  beautiful  rise  of  ground, 
which  is  joined  to  the  main  island  by  a  nar- 
row neck  of  land.  As  it  is  not  long  since  a 
settlement  was  made  here,  they  have  only 
four  dwelling  houses  and  two  stores,  on  the 
other  parts  of  the  peninsula;  and  the  in- 
habitants appear  like  exiles.  The  North  West 
Company  have  a  house  and  store  here.  In 
the  latter,  they  construct  canoes,  for  sending 
into  the  interiour,  and  down  to  Montreal. 
Vessels,  of  about  sixty  tons  burden,  come 
here  from  Detroit  and  Mackana  and  Soult 
St.  Maries.  The  whole  island  is  computed 
to  be  about  twenty  miles  in  circumference; 
the  soil  is  good;  it  is  distant,  nearly  nine 
hundred  miles  from  Montreal,  and  forty-five 
from  Mackana,  and  is  in  Lat.  47°  North. 
Spirits  are  sold  here  for  six  dollars  a  gallon ; 
and  other  things,  in  the  same  proportion. 


12  HARMON'S  JOURNAL. 

Thursday,  29.  Duncan  McGilvray,  Esq. 
one  of  the  agents  for  the  North  West  Com- 
pany, arrived  in  the  morning,  at  St.  Josephs, 
from  Mackana ;  and  soon  after,  we  embarked 
on  board  of  our  canoes,  to  come  to  this 
small  Island.  As  the  weather  is  calm,  my 
fellow-traveller  and  I  intend  sleeping  in  our 
canoe ;  but  the  labourers  will  pass  the  night 
on  shore. 

Friday  30.  Soult  St.  Maries.  Here  the 
North  West  Company  have  another  establish- 
ment on  the  north  side  of  the  Rapid ;  and  on 
the  opposite  shore,  there  are  a  few  Americans, 
Scotch  and  Canadians,  who  carry  on  a  small 
traffic  with  the  Natives,  and  also  till  the 
ground  a  little.  The  soil  about  Lake  Huron, 
which  we  have  just  passed,  appears  to  be 
good,  and  the  face  of  the  country  is  low  and 
level.— Here  the  North  West  Company  have 
built  locks,  in  order  to  take  up  loaded  canoes, 
that  they  may  not  be  under  the  necessity  of 
carrying  them  by  land,  to  the  head  of  the 
Rapid ;  for  the  current  is  too  strong  to  be 
stemmed  by  any  craft.  The  Company  are 
likewise  building  a  saw  mill,  at  the  foot  of 
the  Rapid,  to  furnish  boards,  &c.  for  the 
Grand  Portage,  &c.  Here  is  the  outlet  of 
Lake  Superiour,  by  which  its  waters  pass 
into  Lake  Huron.  On  each  of  these  lakes, 
the  North  West  Company  have  a  vessel. 
One  goes  to  the  Grand  Portage,  and  the 
other  to  Detroit,  &c. 

Saturday,  31.    We  shall   sleep    where   we 


HARMON'S  JOURNAL.  13 

did  the  last  night.  Several  of  us  have  visited 
the  people,  who  live  on  the  other  side  of  the 
rapid,  where  we  saw  a  dance  of  the  Natives, 
who  are  Sauteux  or  Chippeways. 

Sunday,  June  1.  Point  au  Pin,  or  Pine 
Point,  in  Lake  Superiour.  We  here  find  the 
vessel  that  sails  from  this  to  the  Grand  Por- 
tage. I  went  on  board,  and  the  Captain  in- 
formed me,  that  she  would  carry  about  ninety 
five  tons,  and  that  she  makes  four  or  five 
trips  every  season.  I  left  the  Soult  St. 
Maries,  in  company  with  three  hundred  men, 
who  are  in  thirty  five  canoes. 

Monday,  2.  Point  aux  Arable,  or  Maple 
Point.  We  now  form  four  Brigades,  in  which 
there  are  six  clerks. 

Tuesday,  3.  A  high  wind  during  the  whol«» 
day.  In  the  morning,  we  attempted  to  sail, 
but  soon  found  we  could  not,  without  ship^ 
ping  a  great  deal  of  water;  we  therefore 
soon  landed  again,  and  are  encamped,  within 
one  hundred  rods  of  the  place  where  we  tar- 
ried the  last  night. 

Wednesday,  4.  As  it  has  rained  and 
snowed  all  day,  accompanied  by  a  high  wind, 
we  have  not  been  able  to  leave  our  encamp- 
ment of  the  last  night.  Mons.  St.  Germain, 
who  has  the  charge  of  a  small  Fort,  belong- 
ing to  the  North  West  Company,  not  far 
from  this,  visited  us,  and  brought  with  him 
a  few  necessaries. 

Thursday,  5.  Although  the  swells  in  the 
Lake   are   very  high,  we   have   made   good 


14  HARMON'S  JOURNAL. 

progress,  during  the  whole  day.  We  are 
encamped  near  a  large  rock,  on  which  the 
Natives,  as  they  pass  this  way,  leave  an 
arrow  or  two,  or  some  other  article  of  little 
value  to  appease  the  Devil,  or  Muchamuna- 
too,  as  they  call  him,  and  prevent  him  from 
doing  them  harm. 

Sunday,  8.  In  the  course  of  the  day,  we 
have  passed  several  islands,  which,  as  well 
as  the  main  land,  appear  to  be  covered  with 
little  else  besides  moss,  with  here  and  there 
a  shrubby  spruce. 

Mondciy,  9.  In  the  morning  we  passed 
another  Fort,  belonging  to  the  North  West 
Company. 

Tuesday,  10.  We  are  obliged  to  anchor 
our  canoes  by  a  small  island,  instead  of  un- 
loading them,  as  is  customary  every  night, 
for  the  whole  country  is  on  fire ;  but  whether 
by  accident  or  design,  I  am  unable  to  learn. 
Our  people,  who  pass  this  way  every  sum- 
mer, say  that,  almost  every  year,  fire  runs 
over  this  part  of  the  country,  which  is,  of 
course,  nearly  destitute  of  animals,  of  any 
kind. 

Thursday,  12.  Sugar  Point.  Our  people 
say  we  have  sailed  ninety  miles  during  the 
day. 

Friday,  13.  Grand  Portage,  where  we 
arrived  late  this  evening.  This  place  lies  in 
the  48th  degree  of  north  latitude;  and  is 
said  to  be  nine  hundred  miles  from  the  Soult 
St.  Maries,  and  eighteen  hundred  from  Mon- 


HARMON'S  JOURNAL.  15 

treal.  The  Fort,  which  is  twenty  four  rods 
by  thirty,  is  built  on  the  margin  of  a  bay, 
at  the  foot  of  a  hill  or  mountain,  of  con- 
siderable height.  Within  the  fort,  there  is  a 
considerable  number  of  dwellinghouses,  shops 
and  stores,  all  of  which  appear  to  be  slight 
buildings,  and  designed  only  for  present  con- 
venience. The  houses  are  surrounded  by 
palisades,  which  are  about  eighteen  inches  in 
diameter,  and  are  sunk  nearly  three  feet  in 
the  ground,  and  rise  about  fifteen  feet  above 
it.  The  bay  is  so  shallow  that  the  vessel 
cannot  approach  the  shore,  unless  she  is  al- 
most without  lading.  There  is  a  consider- 
able island,  directly  opposite  to  the  fort, 
which  shelters  the  vessel  from  the  winds  that 
blow  from  the  Lake ;  and  which  renders  this 
a  tolerably  good  harbour.  There  is  also  an- 
other fort,  which  stands  about  two  hundred 
rods  from  this,  belonging  to  the  X.  Y.  Com- 
pany, under  which  firm,  a  number  of  mer- 
chants of  Montreal  and  Quebec,  &c.  now 
carry  on  a  trade  into  this  part  of  the  coun- 
try. It  is  only  three  years  since  they  made 
an  establishment  here ;  and  as  yet,  they  have 
had  but  little  success. 

This  is  the  Head  Quarters  or  General  Ren- 
dezvous, for  all  who  trade  in  this  part  of  the 
world ;  and  therefore,  every  summer,  the 
greater  part  of  the  Proprietors  and  Clerks, 
who  have  spent  the  winter  in  the  Interiour 
come  here  with  the  furs  which  they  have 
been  able  to  collect,  during  the  preceding  sea- 


16  HARMON'S  JOURNAL. 

son.  This,  as  I  am  told,  is  about  the  time 
when  they  generally  arrive ;  and  some  of  them 
are  already  here.  The  people  who  come  from 
Montreal  with  the  goods,  go  no  farther  than 
this,  excepting  a  few  who  take  those  articles 
to  the  Rainy  Lake,  which  are  intended  for 
Athabasca,  as  that  place  lies  at  too  great 
a  distance  from  this,  to  permit  people  who 
reside  there  to  come  to  this  place  and  return, 
before  the  winter  commences.  Those  who 
bring  the  goods  from  Montreal,  on  their 
return,  take  down  the  furs,  &c.  from  the 
north. 

Excellent  fish,  I  am  informed,  are  taken 
here.  White  fish  are  sometimes  speared,  which 
will  weigh  twenty-two  pounds.  The  water 
in  the  lake  is  uncommonly  clear. 

Sunday,  15.  The  people  here  pass  the 
Sabbath,  much  in  the  same  manner  as  they 
do,  the  other  days  of  the  week.  The  labour- 
ing people  have  been  employed,  during  the 
day,  in  making  and  pressing  packs  of  furs, 
to  be  sent  to  Canada.  This  appears,  not 
as  it  should  be,  to  me,  who  have  been  taught 
to  abstain  from  labour  on  the  sabbath, 
and  to  consider  that  it  should  be  employed 
in  a  religious  manner.  The  people,  how- 
ever, who  have  been  long  in  this  savage 
country,  have  no  scruples  of  conscience  on 
this  subject. 

Tuesday,  24.  I  have,  for  some  days  past, 
been  employed,  together  with  several  other 
clerks,  in    marking   packs   of   furs.    Almost 


HARMON'S  JOURNAL.  17 

every  day,  for  some  time  past,  people  have 
been  flocking  in  from  the  Interiour,  with  the 
returns  of  the  season. 

Saturday,  28.  The  last  night,  a  squaw, 
in  a  state  of  intoxication,  stabbed  her  hus- 
band, who  soon  after  expired.  This  after- 
noon, I  went  to  their  tent,  where  I  saw  a 
number  of  Indians,  of  both  sexes,  drinking 
and  crying  over  the  corpse,  to  which  they 
would  frequently  offer  rum,  and  try  to  pour 
it  down  his  throat,  supposing  him  to  be  aa 
fond  of  rum  when  dead,  as  he  was  when 
alive.  The  Natives  of  this  place  are  Chippe- 
ways. 

Friday,  July  4.  In  the  day  time,  the 
Natives  were  permitted  to  dance  in  the  fort, 
and  the  Company  made  them  a  present  of 
thirty  six  gallons  of  shrub.  In  the  evening, 
the  gentlemen  of  the  place  dressed,  and  we 
had  a  famous  ball,  in  the  dining  room. 
For  musick,  we  had  the  bag-pipe,  the  violin 
and  the  flute,  which  added  much  to  the  in- 
terest of  the  occasion.  At  the  ball,  there 
was  a  number  of  the  ladies  of  this  country; 
and  I  was  surprised  to  find  that  they  could 
conduct  with  so  much  propriety,  and  dance 
so  well. 

Sunday,  13.  Yesterday,  several  gentlemen, 
on  their  way  to  their  winter  quarters,  accom- 
panied me  to  Charlotte,  at  the  other  end  of 
this  Portage,  which  is  nine  miles  over.  My 
business  was  to  send  off  a  number  of  canoes, 
bound  for  Fort  des  Prairies.     The  country 


18  HARMON'S  JOURNAL. 

between  this  and  Fort  Charlotte,  is  tolerably 
level;  and  the  soil  appears  to  be  pretty  good. 

Tuesday,  15.  This  morning  a  number  of 
gentlemen,  as  well  as  myself,  left  the  Grand 
Portage,  to  proceed  to  winter  quarters.  I 
am  to  accompany  John  McDonald,  Esq.  to 
Fort  des  Prairies.  We  left  Fort  Charlotte, 
about  3  o'clock  P.  M.  on  board  of  two 
canoes,  each  of  which  will  carry  about  two 
tons,  and  is  pushed  on  by  six  Canadians. 
This  is  a  small  river;  and  we  have  passed 
several  places,  where  the  men  were  obliged 
to  carry  the  ladings,  a  short  distance,  and 
in  some  places,  to  transport  the  canoes  also. 

Wednesday,  16.  The  Long  Cherry  Port- 
age. In  the  former  part  of  the  day,  we 
crossed  small  lakes  and  ponds,  connected  by 
several  portages,  and  then  came  over  the 
height  of  land.  Since  passing  this,  we  have 
descended  a  small  river,  which,  I  am  in- 
formed, after  running  through  several  lakes, 
at  length  discharges  itself  into  Hudson's  Bay, 
in  latitude  51°  north.  At  the  mouth  of  this 
river,  the  Hudson  Bay  Company  have  a  fort, 
which  is  called  Albany  Factory. 

Friday,  18.  Great  Pines.  We  have  this 
day  crossed  the  Flinty  Lake,  so  named  from 
the  stones,  found  on  its  shore.  For  some 
time  past,  I  have  had  a  fit  of  the  ague  and 
fever,  every  day.  It  commenced  when  I  was 
crossing  the  large  Lakes;  and,  I  am  told, 
that  it  is  seldom  that  a  person  is  attacked 
with  it,  in  the  region  where  I  now  am. 


HARMON'S  JOURNAL.  19 

Monday,  21.  For  the  last  few  days,  we 
have  been  crossing  small  lakes  and  ponds, 
and  coming  down  a  small  river.  The  coun- 
try appears  thinly  timbered,  lies  rather  low, 
and  the  soil  is  good. 

Tuesday,  22.  This  evening,  there  came 
here  three  canoes,  manned  by  Iroquois,  who 
are  going  into  the  vicinity  of  the  upper  Red 
River,  to  hunt  Beaver,  for  the  North  West 
Company.  Some  of  them  have  their  families 
with  them. 

Thursday,  24.  Rainy  Lake  Fort.  This  is 
built  about  a  mile  and  a  half  down  the  river, 
from  the  entrance  of  the  Lake,  where  there 
is  a  considerable  fall.  Here  the  soil  is  better 
than  any  we  have  seen,  since  we  left  the 
Ottawa  River.  The  timber,  also,  is  of  a  very 
good  size.  The  Lake  and  River  are  said  to 
contain  excellent  fish,  such  as  sturgeon,  white- 
fish,  &c.  In  the  vicinity,  a  considerable 
quantity  of  wild  rice  is  gathered,  by  the 
Natives,  who  are  Chippeways.  This  is 
thought  to  be  nearly  as  nourishing  as  the 
real  rice,  and  almost  as  palatable.  The  ker- 
nel of  the  former,  is  rather  longer  than  that 
of  the  latter,  and  is  of  a  brownish  colour. 

Friday,  25.  In  the  former  part  of  the  day, 
we  overtook  several  gentlemen,  who,  like 
ourselves,  are  on  their  way  to  their  winter 
quarters.  This  is  a  beautiful  river,  and 
pretty  free  from  rapids. 

Saturday,  26.  This  morning,  we  met 
twenty-four  canoes  from  Athabasca.     They 


20  HARMON'S  JOURNAL.. 

say  they  suffered  much  for  want  of  food,  on 
their  way;  and  during  four  days,  ate  nothing. 
We  gave  them  a  dram,  which  made  them 
almost  forget  their  late  sufferings.  They 
will  arrive  at  the  Kainy  Lake,  later  than 
usual. 

Monday,  28.  We  have  come  down  several 
rapids,  at  one  of  which  a  canoe  was  broken, 
the  last  year,  and  a  man  drowned.  We  are 
still  in  the  Eainy  Lake  River,  which  is  about 
one  hundred  and  twenty  miles  long,  and 
twelve  or  fifteen  rods  broad.  The  land  on 
each  side  is  low,  and  is  said  to  be  excellent. 
The  timber  consists  of  birch,  a  species  of 
pine,  hemlock,  poplar,  aspin,  cedar,  &c. 

Tuesday,  29.  This  day  we  came  across 
the  Woody  Lake,  which  is  full  of  islands. 
It  is  about  thirty-six  miles  in  length;  and 
the  soil  about  it  is  much  like  that,  along 
the  Rainy  Lake  River.  We  are  now  in  Wini- 
pick  River,  and  have  passed  a  rapid  where 
the  last  year,  three  men  were  drowned.  One 
of  our  men  fired  at  a  black  bear,  but  did 
not  kill  him. 

Wednesday,  30.  Passed  a  number  of  miry 
Portages,  and  a  place  where,  three  years 
since,  the  Natives,  who  are  Chippeways,  fired 
upon  our  people,  but  without  killing  any  of 
them.  One  of  the  Indians  was  taken,  with 
the  intention  of  carrying  him  to  the  nearest 
Fort,  and  there  punishing  him  as  he  deserved. 
After  proceeding  a  considerable  distance, 
however,  and  when  near  a  rapid,  he  jumped 


HxVRMON'S  JOURNAL.  21 

out  of  the  canoe,  intending,  as  was  sup- 
posed, to  swim  to  the  opposite  shore,  and 
thus  escape.  But  the  current  was  too  strong; 
and  he  went  down  the  rapid,  and  was  prob- 
ably drowned. 

Thursday,  31.  Mouth  of  the  River  Wini- 
pick.  Here  the  North  West  Company,  and 
the  Hudson  Bay  Company,  have  each  a 
fort.  Here  the  above  named  river  discharges 
its  waters  into  Lake  Winipick.  The  River 
Winipick,  through  the  greater  part  of  its 
course,  is  a  succession  of  small  lakes;  and 
in  several  places  there  are  falls,  of  a  con- 
siderable height.  The  country  around  it  is 
broken;  and  occasionally,  majestick  and 
frightful  waterfalls  are  to  be  seen,  par- 
ticularly where  the  White  River  joins  this, 
about  thirty  miles  above  where  we  now  are. 
A  few  miles  above  this,  there  is  a  small 
lake,  called  Lac  de  Bonne,  from  which  the 
Hudson  Bay  people  leave  our  rout,  and  pro- 
ceed toward  the  Albany  Factory.  The  soil 
is  good ;  and  among  the  fruit,  I  observe  the 
red  plum.  The  grape,  also,  grows  well  in 
this  vicinity.  In  the  neighbouring  woods,  a 
few  moose  and  deer  are  found  ;  and  the  Lake 
and  River  are  well  supplied  with  fish. — Our 
people  are  employed  in  drying  the  goods 
some  of  which  were  wet,  in  coming  down  the 
rapids,  yesterday. 

Saturday,  August  2.  When  I  left  the  Grand 
Portage,  it  was  expected  that  I  should  go 
up  the  Sisiscatchwin  river,  to  spend  the  win- 


22  HARMON'S  JOURNAL. 

ter.  That  river  falls  into  the  north  western 
end  of  Lake  Winipick.  But,  since  our  arrival 
here,  we  have  received  intelligence  from  the 
Swan  River  Department,  which  country  Ues 
between  Lake  Winipick  and  the  Red  and 
Assiniboin  Rivers,  that,  in  the  opinion  of  Mr. 
McLeod,  who  superintends  the  concerns  of 
that  region,  it  is  necessary  to  make  another 
establishment  there.  It  is  therefore  deter- 
mined that  I  shall  go  and  take  charge  of  it ; 
and  I  shall  accordingly  remain  here  a  few 
days,  to  wait  for  the  arrival  of  the  brigade, 
destined  to  the  Swan  River  department. — 
The  after  part  of  the  day,  I  spent  in  shoot- 
ing pigeons,  which  I  found  to  be  numerous, 
as  at  this  season,  red  raspberries,  and  other 
kinds  of  fruit,  are  ripe,  and  exist  here  in 
abundance. 

Sunday,  3.  In  walking  in  the  adjacent 
country,  I  saw  the  bushes  and  brambles 
loaded  with  ripe  fruit.  While  partaking  of 
it,  I  was  led  to  reflect  on  the  beneficence  of 
the  great  Authour  of  nature,  who  scatters 
his  favours  with  an  unsparing  hand,  and 
spreads  a  table  here  in  the  wilderness,  for 
the  refreshment  of  his  creatures. 

This  is  the  first  day  which  I  have  ever 
spent,  since  my  infancy,  without  eating  either 
bread  or  biscuit.  As  a  substitute  for  bread, 
we  now  make  use  of  what  the  Natives  call 
pimican,  which  consists  of  lean  meat,  dried 
and  pounded  fine,  and  then  mixed  with  melted 
fat.    This  compound  is  put  into  bags,  made 


HAKMON'S  JOURNAL.  23 

of  the  skins  of  the  buffaloe,  &c.  and  when 
cold,  it  becomes  a  solid  body.  If  kept  in  a 
dry  place,  it  will  continue  good  for  years. 
But,  if  exposed  to  moisture,  it  will  soon  be- 
come musty,  and  unfit  for  use.  Pimican  is 
a  very  palatable,  nourishing  and  healthy 
food ;  and  on  it,  our  Voyagers  subsist,  while 
travelling  in  this  country.  Sometimes  we  add 
to  the  two  above  named  ingredients,  sugar 
or  dried  berries,  which  we  procure  from  the 
Natives;  and  the  taste  of  it  is  thus  very 
much  improved. 

Monday,  4.  I  have  visited  the  Hudson 
Bay  people,  whose  fort  is  but  a  few  rods 
from  ours.  Mr.  Miller,  the  gentleman  who 
has  charge  of  it,  informed  me,  that  they 
obtain  their  goods  from  Albany  Factory; 
that,  in  going  down  with  their  barges,  they 
are  generally  about  forty  days;  but,  that 
they  are  nearly  twice  that  time  in  returning, 
in  consequence  of  the  current.  The  Factory 
lies  to  the  north  east  from  this. 

Wednesday,  6.  This  morning  Mr.  Mc- 
Donell,  whom  we  passed  a  few  days  since, 
overtook,  and  informed  us,  that  one  of  his 
canoes  broke,  in  coming  down  the  rapids, 
that  one  of  the  men  was  drowned,  and  most 
of  the  property  on  board  was  lost. 

Friday,  8.  This  evening,  Mons.  Mayotte 
took  a  woman  of  this  country  for  a  wife,  or 
rather  concubine.  All  the  ceremonies  attend- 
ing such  an  event,  are  the  following.  WTien 
a   person   is  desirous  of  taking  one  of  the 


24  HARMON'S  JOURNAL. 

daughters  of  the  Natives,  as  a  companion, 
he  makes  a  present  to  the  parents  of  the 
damsel,  of  such  articles  as  he  supposes  will 
be  most  acceptable;  and,  among  them,  rum 
is  indispensable;  for  of  that  all  the  savages 
are  fond,  to  excess.  Should  the  parents 
accept  the  articles  offered,  the  girl  remains 
at  the  fort  with  her  suitor,  and  is  clothed 
in  the  Canadian  fashion.  The  greater  part 
of  these  young  women,  as  I  am  informed, 
are  better  pleased  to  remain  with  the  white 
people,  than  with  their  o\\ti  relations.  Should 
the  couple,  newly  joined,  not  agree,  they 
are  at  liberty,  at  any  time,  to  separate; 
but  no  part  of  the  property,  given  to  the 
parents  of  the  girl,  will  be  refunded. 

Sunday,  10.  Lake  Winipick.  In  the  former 
part  of  the  day,  the  people  for  whom  I  have 
long  been  waiting,  came  up ;  and  soon  after, 
I  embarked  with  them,  and  came  hither. 
Although  we  are  not  in  want  of  provisions, 
yet  our  people  have  killed  a  dog  to  eat,  the 
flesh  of  which,  they  say,  is  delicious.  The 
dogs  of  this  country,  which  resemble  wolves, 
differ  considerably  from  the  dogs,  found  in 
the  civilized  part  of  the  world. 

Monday,  11.  We  embarked,  early  in  the 
morning;  but  soon,  the  wind  blew  so  as  to 
oblige  us  to  make  the  land,  which  we  have 
done,  on  a  point  that  projects  far  into  the 
Lake.  Soon  after  we  reached  the  shore,  a 
number  of  the  Indians  of  this  quarter,  who 
are  Chippeways  and  Muscagoes,  came  to  pay 


HARMON'S  JOURNAL.  25 

their  respects  to  us,  to  whom  we  gave  some 
rum,  tobacco,  &c. 

Sunday,  17.  Entrance  of  the  River  Dau- 
pbine.  Lake  Winipick,  which  we  now  leave  to 
go  up  this  river,  is  about  two  hundred  and 
fifty  miles  in  length,  and  from  three  to  sixty 
or  seventy,  in  breadth.  The  country  about 
this  lake,  for  a  considerable  distance,  is 
low,  and  is  overspread  with  pretty  heavy 
timber,  and  the  soil  appears  to  be  good. 
Dauphine  river  is  so  shallow,  at  present, 
that  our  people  are  under  the  necessity  of 
leaving  half  their  ladings,  for  which  they 
will  return,  after  having  proceeded  a  certain 
distance  with  the  remainder. 

Tuesday,  19.  Last  night,  the  wind  blew 
so  high,  that  it  drove  the  water  of  the  Lake 
to  such  a  distance  up  the  beach,  that  we 
were  under  the  necessity  of  removing  our 
baggage  farther  into  the  woods,  at  three 
different  times.  This  morning,  our  people 
came  back  for  the  remainder  of  the  prop- 
erty; and  we  proceeded  up  the  river,  which 
is  about  ten  rods  wide.  The  country  about 
it  is  level. 

Wednesday,'20.  Lac  St.  Martin.  The  river 
Dauphine  passes  through  this  lake.  We  here 
see  a  great  number  of  swans,  bustards,  peli- 
cans, &c.  The  country  around  is  swampy; 
and  I  am  informed,  that  Moose  are  numer- 
ous in  the  vicinity. 

Friday,  22.  This  morning  we  left  Lac 
St.    Martin,    and  entered  the  Muddy  Lake, 


26  HARMON'S  JOURNAL. 

where  we  again  find  fowls,  in  great  abun- 
dance. 

Saturday,  23.  North  End  of  the  Plain 
Portage.  This  portage  is  about?  two  miles 
over,  through  a  beautiful  country,  and  the 
BoU  is  excellent. 

Sunday,  24.  Little  Lake  Winipick.  Here 
we  find  a  number  of  the  Natives,  who  are 
Chippeways,  waiting  our  arrival,  to  get 
rum  to  drink,  and  necessaries,  to  enable 
them  to  hunt  the  beaver. 

Monday,  25.  We  remain  still,  where  we  were 
the  last  night;  and  have  been  employed, 
during  the  day,  in  making  out  a  selection 
of  goods  for  the  establishment  at  the  en- 
trance of  the  river  Dauphine,  which  falls 
into  the  west  end  of  this  Lake.  At  that 
place,  a  French  missionary  resided,  before 
the  British  obtained  possession  of  Canada. 
We  remained  there,  but  for  a  short  time; 
and  great  success,  therefore,  could  not  have 
been  expected.  I  am  told,  however,  that 
there  are  some  Indians,  still  living,  who 
recollect  prayers,  which  were  taught  them 
by  the  missionary. 

Saturday,  30.  Encampment  Island.  Here 
we  arrived,  in  the  fore  part  of  the  day ;  and 
we  have  been  employed,  ever  since,  in  setting 
aside  goods  for  the  Red  Deer  River,  which 
falls  into  this  lake,  at  the  north  end.  We 
are  now  nearly  across  the  lake,  which  is 
about  one  hundred  and  twenty  miles  long, 
and  from  five,  to  thirtv  broad.    There  are 


HARMON'S  JOURNAL.  27 

no  mountains,  of  any  magnitude,  in  this 
part  of  the  country.  The  land  is  generally 
low,  and  well  covered  with  timber,  which 
consists  of  a  species  of  pine,  birch,  poplar, 
aspin,  willow,  «S:c. 

Friday,  September  1.  In  the  morning, 
Mr.  McGillis,  with  most  of  the  people,  left 
us  to  proceed  to  the  Red  Deer  River,  where 
they  are  to  pass  the  ensuing  winter.  Mr. 
McLeod,  with  a  number  of  people  in  one 
canoe,  has  gone  to  Lac  Bourbon,  which  place 
lies  nearly  north  west  from  this.  We  here 
take,  in  nets,  the  white  fish,  which  are  ex- 
cellent. 

Wednesday,  3.  I  have  passed  the  day  in 
reading  the  Bible,  and  in  meditating  on  my 
present  way  of  living;  and,  I  must  confess, 
that  it  too  much  resembles  that  of  a  savage. 

Sunday,  7.  Late  the  last  evening,  Mr. 
McLeod  returned  from  Lac  Bourbon;  and, 
this  morning  they  again  embarked  for  Swan 
River,  and  left  me  here,  with  two  men,  and 
as  many  women,  to  wait  for  the  arrival  of 
a  number  of  canoes,  which  are  still  behind, 
but  which  are  expected  in  daily. 

Wednesday,  10.  Yesterday,  a  part  of  the 
people  arrived,  for  whom  I  have  been  waiting, 
some  of  whom  I  sent  to  the  Red  Deer  River, 
and  others  to  Swan  River. 

Sunday,  October  4.  North  End  of  Little 
Lake  Winipick.  From  the  29th  of  August, 
until  the  morning  of  this  day,  I  remained 
on  Encampment  Island,  waiting  for  the  ar- 


28  HARMON'S  JOURNAL. 

rival  of  the  people,  who  were  left  behind. 
But,  as  they  had  almost  constantly  high 
winds,  which,  I  am  told,  are  common  in  this 
late  part  of  the  season,  they  did  not  make 
their  appearance,  until  the  second  instant. 

During  the  long  stay  which  I  made  at 
that  unpleasant  Island,  we  had  little  or  noth> 
ing  to  eat,  excepting  what  we  took  from 
the  water  with  our  nets.  There  were  times 
when  we  met  with  little  success.  When  the 
wind  was  high,  we  could  not  set  our  nets; 
and  consequently  took  nothing.  One  night 
the  wind  was  so  high,  that  it  took  the  only 
canoe  which  we  had,  to  the  other  side  of 
the  Lake,  a  distance  of  five  miles,  at  least. 
We  were  thus  deprived  of  the  means  of  set- 
ting our  nets.  On  the  eighth  day  after  this 
disaster,  Providence  sent  an  Indian  to  the 
place  of  our  encampment,  who  lent  us  his 
canoe  to  go  in  search  of  ours,  which  our  peo- 
ple found,  uninjured.  'WTiile  we  had  no  canoe, 
we  were  under  the  disagreeable  necessity 
of  living  upon  the  fish  which  we  had  left 
on  the  beach,  when  we  took  them  in  plenty. 
They  had,  by  this  tim.e,  becom.e  almost  pu- 
trid. Unsavoury,  however,  as  they  were,  they 
did  not  last  so  long  as  we  could  have  wished ; 
for,  when  they  were  expended,  we  had  noth- 
ing to  eat,  until  a  kind  Providence  sent  a 
black  bear  near  our  tents.  One  of  my  men 
fired,  and  killed  him,  which  was  a  blessing, 
for  which  we  endeavoured  to  be  thankful. 
We  considered  it  sent  bv  Heaven;  and  felt, 


HARMON'S  JOURNAL.  29 

that  we  deserved  not  such  a  favour.  But 
the  rain  descends  on  the  unjust  as  well  as 
the  just. — Yesterday,  it  snowed,  during  most 
of  the  day,  which  prevented  us  from  decamp- 
ing. But  early  this  morning,  without  re- 
luctance, we  left  the  solitary  Island,  where 
many  a  moment  of  ennui  passed  over  me. 
As  I  had  no  other  book,  I  read  during  my 
stay  there  the  greater  part  of  the  Bible. 
This  afternoon,  we  met  two  men,  in  a  small 
canoe,  from  Swan  River,  loaded  with  pro- 
visions, for  the  people  of  the  Red  Deer  River. 
We  did  not  suffer  so  good  an  opportunity, 
for  furnishing  ourselves  with  a  sufficiency 
of  food,  to  sustain  us  until  we  should  meet 
with  another  supply,  to  pass  unimproved. 
How  delicious  is  food  to  a  person  who  is 
near  famishing !  But  there  are  thousands, 
who  know  not  how  to  prize  abundance,  be- 
cause they  have  never  experienced  the  dis- 
tresses of  want. 

Thursday.  October  9.  Little  Swan  River. 
Yesterday,  on  account  of  high  winds,  we 
could  not  leave  our  encampment;  but  early 
this  morning,  we  embarked  on  board  of  our 
canoes,  and  at  twelve,  left  Little  Lake  Wini- 
pick,  and  entered  this  river,  which  is  eight 
or  ten  rods  wide,  very  shallow,  and  full  of 
rapids.  I  therefore  debarked,  and  walked 
along  on  the  beach  about  four  miles,  in  the 
snow,  mud  and  water.  The  people,  also, 
for  want  of  a  sufficiency  of  water,  were 
obliged   to    debark,    and  drag  their  canoes 


30  HARMON'S  JOURNAL. 

up  the  shallow  places.  But  we  are  now  en- 
camped around  a  large  fire,  with  plenty  of 
food;  I  have  given  to  each  of  the  people 
a  dram,  and  we  have  all  ceased  to  think 
of  the  fatigue  and  trouble  of  the  day.  To 
make  a  place  to  lie  down,  the  people  scrape 
away  the  snow,  and  lay  down  a  few  branches 
of  the  pine,  such  as  this  country  in  every 
part  produces;  and  on  this  we  spread  a 
blanket  or  two,  and  cover  ourselves  with 
another.  A  day  of  hard  labour,  and  of  great 
fatigue,  will  enable  a  person  to  sleep  soundly 
on  such  a  bed;  and  to  obtain  refreshment, 
such  as  a  sluggard  will  seek  for  in  vain,  on 
a  bed  of  down. 

Friday,  10.  Swan  River  Fort.  In  the 
morning  we  crossed  Swan  Lake,  which  is 
nearly  eight  miles  long,  and  then  entered 
the  Great  Swan  River.  This  river  is  about 
eleven  rods  wide;  there  is  a  sufficiency  of 
water,  and  there  is  no  rapid  from  its  mouth 
to  the  fort,  a  distance  of  twelve  miles.  The 
country  adjoining,  is  low,  and  in  many  places, 
swampy,  and  the  soil  is  rich.  Mons.  Perigne, 
the  superintendant  of  the  fort,  has  a  tolerable 
kitchen  garden.  The  Hudson  Bay  people 
once  came  here ;  but  it  is  several  years  since 
they  abandoned  the  place.  As  they  have 
nothing  to  expect  from  the  Company,  but 
their  salaries,  they  seem,  so  far  as  I  can 
learn,  to  make  but  little  exertion  to  extend 
their  trade,  and,  thereby,  to  benefit  their 
employers. 


HARMON'S  jnURNAI^  31 

Saturday,  11.  The  day  has  been  employed 
in  fitting  out  Mons.  Perigne,  who,  with  six 
labouring  men,  is  to  go  and  build  a  fort, 
about  fifty  miles  up  this  river,  where  they 
will  pass  the  winter.  A  few  miles  from  this, 
there  is  a  salt  spring,  by  boiling  down  the 
water  of  which,  tolerable  salt  is  made.  It 
is  less  strong  than  that  brought  from  Can- 
ada; but,  used  in  sufiicient  quantity,  it  will 
preserve  meat  ver}'  well. 

Sunday,  12.  The  people  destined  to  build 
a  fort  up  the  river,  left  us  to  day.  I  shall 
remain  here  until  some  persons  arrive  from 
Alexandria,  which  is  situated  nearly  one 
hundred  miles  to  the  westward  of  this,  among 
the  Prairies.  There  I  shall  pass  the  winter, 
with  Mr.  McLeod,  or  go  and  build  by  the 
side  of  the  Hudson  Bay  people,  who  are 
about  three  leagues  distant  from  him. — Our 
men  shoot  a  few  horses  and  ducks. 

Thursday,  16.  We  have  taken  a  few  fish 
out  of  this  river,  with  nets.  This  evening, 
two  men  on  horses  arrived  from  Alexandria, 
by  whom  I  received  a  letter  from  Mr.  Mc- 
Leod, requesting  me  to  accompany  them  to 
that  place. 

Saturday,  18.  Second  crossing  place  in 
the  Swan  River.  In  the  morning  we  left  the 
fort.  The  country  which  we  have  passed 
through,  is  low;  and  the  timber,  consisting 
of  poplar,  aspin,  birch,  willow,  pine  and  an 
inferiour  kind  of  maple,  is  small.  Of  the  sap 
of  the  maple,  sugar  is  made ;  but  its  quality 


32  HARMON'S  JOURNAL. 

Is  not  equal  to  that,  produced  from  the  real 
maple. 

Monday,  20.  Bird  Mountain.  Here  Mons. 
Perigne  and  others  are  building  a  fort.  Yes- 
terday and  to  day,  our  way  has  been  through 
prairies,  interrupted  occasionally,  by  small 
groves  of  wood.  Cranes  and  Pheasants  are 
to  be  seen  in  the  prairies ;  and  to-day  I  have 
also  seen  and  fired  at  eight  Elk,  without 
having  killed  any  of  them.  They  are  about 
the  size  of  a  cow,  and  of  a  light  grey  col- 
our. The  males,  which  have  long  branch- 
ing horns,  are  animals  of  a  noble  and  majes- 
tick  appearance. 

Wednesday,  22.  The  Foot  of  a  High  Hill 
and  near  a  Small  Lake.  The  waters  of  this 
lake  have  a  sulphureous  taste.  In  the  morn- 
ing, we  left  Swan  Eiver  on  our  right,  after 
having  crossed  it  on  a  raft,  made  by  tying 
several  dry  trees  together.  Since  leaving 
that  river  the  country  appears  more  hilly, 
and  almost  destitute  of  timber  of  any  kind. 
Cranes  and  pheasants  are  to  be  seen,  every 
where. 

Thursday,  23.  Alexandria.  We  arrived 
here  in  the  afternoon ;  and  I  am  happy  to 
find  myself,  at  length,  at  the  end  of  my 
journey,  and  where  I  hope  to  pass  a  few 
months,  at  least,  in  quietness.  The  fort  is 
built  on  a  small  rise  of  ground,  on  the  bank 
of  the  Assiniboine,  or  Upper  Eed  Kiver,  that 
separates  it  from  a  beautiful  prairie,  about 
ten  miles  long,  and  from  one  to  four  broad, 


HARMON'S  JOURNAL.  33 

which  is  as  level  as  the  floor  of  a  house. 
At  a  little  distance  behind  the  fort,  are  small 
groves  of  birch,  poplar,  aspin  and  pine.  On 
the  whole,  the  scenery  around  it,  is  delightful. 
The  fort  is  sixteen  rods  in  length,  by  twelve 
in  breadth;  the  houses,  stores,  &c.,  are  well 
built,  are  plaistered  on  the  inside  and  out- 
side, and  are  washed  over  with  a  white  earth, 
which  answers  nearly  as  well  as  lime,  for 
white  washing.  This  earth  is  found,  in  cer- 
tain places,  in  all  parts  of  the  country. — 
Here  horses  are  to  be  bought  of  the  Natives 
for  a  mere  trifle.  They  are  well  built,  strong, 
and  tolerably  fleet. 

This  place  lies  in  Latitude  52°  north, 
and  in  103°  west  Longitude.  Mr.  McLeod 
is  now  gone  to  fort  Dauphine,  on  horse 
back,  which  lies  only  four  day's  march  from 
this,  over  land ;  yet  it  is  nearly  two  months, 
since  I  passed  there  in  a  canoe. 

Tuesday,  28.  Mr.  McLeod  and  company 
have  just  returned  from  fort  Dauphine;  and 
I  am  happy  in  meeting  him,  after  so  long  a 
separation,  and  he  appears  to  be  pleased  to 
see  me,  safely  here.  From  the  time  that  I 
was  left  at  the  Encampment  Island  until 
now,  I  have  had  no  person  with  whom  I 
could  converse  in  English ;  and  I  am  not 
yet  able  to  converse  in  French,  though  I  can 
read  it  tolerably  well. 

Sunday,  November  9.  On  the  30th ultimo, 
I  set  off,  in  company  with  four  Canadians, 
on    horse   back,    for  Swan  River  fort.    The 


34  HARMON'S  JOURNAL. 

day  we  left  this,  it  snowed  and  rained,  which 
caused  us  to  pass  a  very  disagreeable  night, 
as  we  had  nothing  but  our  wet  blankets 
with  which  to  cover  ourselves.  The  people 
went  down  for  goods;  and  as  there  is  no 
person  there  who  can  read  and  write,  I  went 
to  deliver  out  such  articles  as  we  are  in 
immediate  want  of  here. 

Sunday,  16.  The  Indians  who  come  to 
this  establishment  are  Crees  and  Assiniboins. 
The  principal  part  of  the  former,  generally 
remain  in  the  woody  part  of  the  country, 
and  hunt  the  moose,  elk,  beaver,  &c.  and 
the  latter  remain  in  the  large  prairies,  and 
hunt  buffaloes,  wolves,  «S;c.  Last  Wednesday, 
twelve  families  of  Crees  and  Assiniboins 
came  from  the  large  prairies,  and  let  us 
have  furs  and  provisions.  Both  the  men 
and  women  have  been  drinking,  ever  since, 
and  their  noise  is  very  disagreeable;  for 
they  talk,  sing  and  cry,  at  the  same  time.— 
Our  men  play  at  cards  on  the  sabbath,  the 
same  as  on  any  other  day.  For  such  im- 
proper conduct,  I  once  reproved  them ;  but 
their  reply  was,  there  is  no  Sabbath  in  this 
country,  and,  they  added,  no  God  nor  devil; 
and  their  behaviour  but  too  plainly  shows, 
that  they  spoke  as  they  think.  It  is  a  lamen- 
table fact,  that  those  who  have  been  for  any 
considerable  time  in  this  savage  country, 
lay  aside  a  greater  part  of  the  regulations 
of  civilized  and  christian  people,  and  behave 
little  better   than   the  savages.    It  is  true. 


HARMON'S  JOURNAL.  85 

we  have  it  not  at  all  times  in  our  power, 
to  observe  the  sabbath  as  we  ought,  as  the 
Natives  come  to  our  establishment  as  often 
on  that  day,  as  any  other;  and  when  they 
do  come,  they  must  be  attended  to,  and 
their  wants  must  be  supplied.  We  are,  also, 
frequently  under  the  necessity  of  travelling 
on  the  Sabbath.  But  it  is  likewise  true, 
that,  if  we  were  rightly  disposed,  our  minds 
might,  on  this  day,  be  almost  wholly  occupied 
with  divine  things.  I  must,  therefore,  ac- 
knowledge, that  we  have  no  reasonable  ex- 
cuse for  violating  the  Sabbath,  as  we  all  do. 
Wednesday,  19.  Last  night,  there  fell 
about  four  inches  of  snow,  which  is  the  first 
that  we  have  had,  this  season.— Yesterday, 
eight  families  of  Crees  came  in.  While  drink- 
ing, one  of  the  women,  who  had  a  sharp 
pointed  knife  about  her,  fell  down,  and  drove 
it  nearly  two  inches  into  her  side;  but  the 
wound  is  not  thought  to  be  mortal.  To  see 
a  house  full  of  drunken  Indians,  consisting 
of  men,  women  and  children,  is  a  most  un- 
pleasant sight;  for,  in  that  condition,  they 
often  wrangle,  pull  each  other  by  the  hair, 
and  fight.  At  some  times,  ten  or  twelve,  of 
both  sexes,  may  be  seen,  fighting  each  other 
promiscuously,  until  at  last,  they  all  fall 
on  the  floor,  one  upon  another,  some  spilling 
rum  out  of  a  small  kettle  or  dish,  which 
they  hold  in  their  hands,  while  others  are 
throwing  up  what  they  have  just  drunk. 
To  add  to  this  uproar,  a  number  of  children, 


36  HARMON'S  JOURNAL. 

some  on  their  mothers'  shoulders,  and  others 
running  about  and  taking  hold  of  their 
clothes,  are  constantly  bawling,  the  older 
ones,  through  fear  that  their  parents  may 
be  stabbed,  or  that  some  other  misfortune 
may  befal  them,  in  the  fray.  These  shrieks 
of  the  children,  form  a  very  unpleasant 
chorus  to  the  brutal  noise  kept  up  by  their 
drunken  parents,  who  are  engaged  in  the 
squabble. 

Sunday,  N^orember  30.  This,  being  St.  An- 
drew's day,  which  is  a  fete  among  the  Scotch, 
and  our  Bourgeois,  Mr.  McLeod,  belonging 
to  that  nation,  the  people  of  the  fort,  agree- 
ably to  the  custom  of  the  country,  early  in 
the  morning,  presented  him  with  a  cross, 
&c.,  and  at  the  same  time,  a  number  of 
others,  who  were  at  his  door,  discharged  a 
volley  or  two  of  muskets.  Soou  after,  they 
were  invited  into  the  hall,  where  they  received 
a  reasonable  dram,  after  which,  Mr.  McLeod 
made  them  a  present  of  a  sufficiency  of 
spirits,  to  keep  them  merry  during  the  re- 
mainder of  the  day,  which  they  drank  at 
their  own  house.  In  the  evening,  they  were 
invited  to  dance  in  the  hall;  and  during  it, 
they  received  several  flagons  of  spirits.  They 
behaved  with  considerable  propriety,  until 
about  eleven  o'clock,  when  their  heads  had 
become  heated,  by  the  great  quantity  of 
spiritous  liquor  which  they  had  drunk,  during 
the  course  of  the  day  and  evening.  Som.e 
of  them  became  quarrelsome,   as  the  Cana- 


HARMON'S  JOURNAL.  37 

dians  generally  are,  when  intoxicated,  and 
to  high  words,  blows  soon  succeeded ;  and 
finally,  two  battles  were  fought,  which  put 
an  end  to  this  truly  genteel,  North  Western 
ball. 

Tuesday,  December  2.  As  yet,  we  have 
only  a  few  inches  of  snow.  Yesterday  morn- 
ing, accompanied  by  six  men  on  horse-back, 
I  went  to  the  lodge  or  tent  of  one  of  our 
hunters.  The  people  went  for  meat,  and  I, 
for  the  pleasure  of  riding,  and  seeing  the 
country.  We  arrived  at  the  place  where  the 
Indian  was  encamped,  just  as  the  sun  was 
sinking  below  the  horizon,  and  when  the 
hunter  was  about  to  take  a  sweat,  which 
is  frequently  done  in  the  following  manner. 
The  women  make  a  kind  of  hut,  of  bended 
willows,  which  is  nearly  circular,  and  if  for 
one  or  two  persons  only,  not  more  than 
fifteen  feet  in  circumference,  and  three  or 
four  in  height.  Over  these,  they  lay  the 
skins  of  the  buffaloe,  &c.  and  in  the  centre 
of  the  hut,  they  place  heated  stones.  The 
Indian  then  enters,  perfectly  naked,  with  a 
dish  of  water  in  his  hand,  a  little  of  which, 
he  occasionally  throws  on  the  hot  stones, 
to  create  steam,  which,  in  connexion  with 
the  heat,  puts  him  into  a  profuse  perspira- 
tion. In  this  situation  he  will  remain,  for 
about  an  hour;  but  a  person  unaccustomed 
to  endure  such  heat,  could  not  sustain 
it  for  half  that  time.  They  sweat  themselves 
in  this  manner,  they  say,  in  order  that  their 


38  HARMON'S  JOURNAL. 

limbs  may  become  more  supple,  and  they 
more  alert,  in  pursuing  animals,  which  they 
are  desirous  of  killing.  They,  also,  consider 
sweating  a  powerful  remedy,  for  the  most 
of  diseases.  As  they  come  from  sweating, 
they  frequently  plunge  into  a  river,  or  rub 
themselves  over  with  snow.  The  country 
we  passed  through,  is  'arge  prairies,  with 
here  and  there  a  grove  of  small  trees.  This 
evening  we  returned  to  the  fort ;  and  the 
horses  of  our  people  were  loaded  with  the 
flesh  of  the  moose  and  elk.  The  buffaloes 
are  as  yet  a  considerable  distance  farther, 
out  in  the  spacious  prairies.  Nothing  but 
severe  cold  weather  will  drive  them  into 
the  woody  part  of  the  countrj^,  to  which 
they  will  then  come,  in  order  to  be  less  ex- 
posed to  the  wind  and  weather,  than  they 
would  be,  to  remain  in  the  open  plains. 

Sunday,  21.  There  is  now  about  a  foot  of 
snow  on  the  ground;  and,  on  the  11th  in» 
stant,  I  left  this  place,  in  company  with 
seven  Canadians,  for  Swan  River  fort.  Each 
man  had  a  sledge,  drawn  by  two  dogs, 
loaded  with  one  hundred  and  fifty  pounds 
weight  of  furs,  besides  provisions  to  serve 
man  and  beast,  to  perform  the  trip.  On  our 
return,  the  sledges  were  loaded  with  goods. 
We  reached  our  fort,  this  afternoon,  where 
I  am  happy  to  find  Mr.  Hugh  McGillis,  on 
a  visit  from  Eed  Deer  River,  and  also,  two 
men  with  letters,  from  Fort  des  Prairies,  or 
Sisiscatchwin  River.    The  former  place,  lies 


HARMON'S  JOURNAL.  39 

about  one  hundred  and  fifty  miles  from  this 
and  the  latter,  four  or  five  hundred,  in  nearly 
a  north  direction. 

We(Iues(]:iy,  24.  Yesterday,  I  went  to  see 
the  fort  of  the  Hudson  Bay  Company,  which 
is  situated  about  nine  miles  down  this  river 
and  is  in  the  charge  of  a  Mr.  Sutherland. 
He  has  a  woman  of  this  country,  for  a  wife, 
who,  I  was  pleased  to  find,  could  speak  the 
English  language,  tolerably  well.  I  under- 
stand, also,  that  she  can  both  read  and 
write  it,  which  she  learned  to  do  at  Hudson's 
Bay,  where  the  Company  have  a  school. 
She  speaks,  likewise,  the  Cree  and  Sauteux 
languages.  She  appears  to  possess  natural 
good  sense,  and  is  far  from  being  deficient, 
in  acquired  knowledge. 

Friday,  January  2,  1801.  The  weather, 
for  several  days  past,  has  been  severely  cold. 
Yesterday,  being  the  commencement  of  a  new 
year,  our  people,  according  to  a  Canadian 
custom,  which  is  to  get  drunk  if  possible, 
spent  the  day  in  drinking,  and  danced  in 
the  evening ;  but  there  was  neither  scratching 
nor  fighting  on  this  occasion. 

Sunday,  4.  In  the  morning,  the  greater 
part  of  our  people,  consisting  of  men,  women 
and  children,  were  sent  away  to  pass  the 
remainder  of  the  winter,  about  two  days' 
march  from  this,  in  the  prairie.  They  will 
subsist  on  the  flesh  of  the  buffaloe,  which 
they  will  themselves  kill  in  abundance.  Dur- 
ing their  stay  there,  they  will  reside  in  tents 


40  HARMON'S  JOURNAL. 

or  lodges,  made  of  the  skins  of  the  buffaloe, 
moose  or  elk.  These  skins,  after  having 
been  dressed,  are  sewed  together;  and  one 
tent  will  contain  from  ten  to  twenty  five 
of  them.  These  tents  are  erected  on  poles, 
and  assume  the  form  of  a  sugar  loaf.  Ten 
or  fifteen  persons  will  reside  in  one  of  them ; 
for  while  there,  they  are  either  sitting  or 
lying  down. 

The  Indians,  who  come  to  this  establish- 
ment, are,  as  has  been  already  observed, 
Crees  and  Assiniboins ;  or  as  some  call  them, 
Kinistinoes  and  Stone  Indians.  Both  of  them 
are  numerous  tribes ;  and  as  they  often  meet 
and  intermarry,  their  manners  and  customs 
are  similar;  but  there  is  no  resemblance  in 
their  languages.  Both  tribes  are  well  fur- 
nished with  horses.  The  Assiniboins,  how- 
ever, are,  by  far,  the  best  horsemen;  they 
never  go  any  distance  on  foot,  and  it  is 
generally  on  horse  back,  that  they  kill  their 
game. 

They  mount  their  horses,  and  run  down 
and  kill  the  buffaloe,  and  some  other  animals 
with  bows  and  arrows,  which  they  find  every 
way  as  convenient  for  this  purpose,  as  fire 
arms.  But  the  Crees,  when  they  can  procure 
them,  always  make  use  of  guns.  Their  cloth- 
ing consists  of  leggins  of  cloth  or  dressed 
Antelope  skins,  a  shirt  or  frock  of  the  same 
materials,  and  a  blanket  or  dressed  Buffaloe 
skin,  which  they  wrap  round  their  bodies, 
and  tie  about  their  waists.    To  the  above 


HARMON'S  JOURNAL.  41 

they  will  often  add  a  cap  or  bonnet,  of  the 
wolf  skin,  and  shoes  for  their  feet. 

Last  evening,  I  wrote  to  two  fellow  travel- 
lers with  me  from  Montreal;  and  the  letters 
will  be  taken  to  them  by  the  winter  express, 
which  leaves  this,  tomorrow,  and  is  to  pass 
by  the  way  of  Fort  des  Prairies,  thence  to 
the  English  River,  and  thence  directly  to 
Athabasca.  And,  I  am  informed,  there  is 
an  express,  which  every  year  leaves  Atha- 
basca, in  the  month  of  December,  and  passes 
through  the  whole  country  called  the  North 
West,  and  in  the  latter  part  of  March,  reaches 
the  Soult  St.  Maries.  Thus  the  gentlemen 
who  come  up  from  Montreal,  obtain  from 
the  interiour,  intelligence  respecting  the  trans- 
actions of  the  preceding  summer  and  fall 
much  earlier  than  they  could  otherwise  do. 
This  information,  it  is  important  that  they 
receive,  as  soon  as  possible.  This  convey- 
ance of  intelligence,  extending  to  the  dis- 
tance of  nearly  three  thousand  miles,  is  at- 
tended with  but  a  trifling  expense  t'o  the 
Company. 

Thursday,  15.  Beautiful  weather.  On  the 
eleventh,  I  accompanied  six  of  our  people  to 
the  tent  of  one  of  our  hunters ;  and  the  day 
following,  they  returned  with  their  sledges 
loaded  with  meat;  but  I  remained,  to  go 
along  with  the  hunter,  farther  in  the  prairie. 
Accordingly,  the  next  day,  I  proceeded  with 
him,  and  saw,  in  different  herds,  at  least  a 
thousand    buffaloes,    grazing.    They    would 


42  HARMON'S  JOURNAL. 

allow  us  to  come  within  a  few  rods  of  them 
before  they  would  leave  their  places.  At 
this  season,  they  are  tame,  and  it  is  not 
at  all  dangerous  to  go  among  them.  But, 
in  the  fore  part  of  the  summer,  which  is 
their  rutting  season,  it  is  quite  the  reverse. 
Then,  if  they  perceive  a  human  being,  the 
males  will  pursue  him,  and  if  they  can  over- 
take, will  trample  him  under  their  feet,  or 
pierce  their  horns  through  his  body. 

The  male  buffaloe,  when  fat,  will  weigh 
from  one  thousand,  to  fifteen  hundred  pounds, 
and  the  female,  from  eight  hundred,  to  a 
thousand.  Their  meat  is  excellent  eatiug; 
but  is  not  generally  considered  so  delicious, 
as  that  of  the  moose. 

Wednesday,  February  11.  On  the  1st 
Inst,  accompanied  by  eight  of  our  people, 
and  one  of  the  Natives  as  a  guide,  I  set 
off,  with  a  small  assortment  of  goods,  to 
go  and  trade  with  about  fifty  families  of 
Crees  and  Assiniboins.  In  going  to  their 
camp  or  village,  we  were  three  days,  and  at 
all  times,  in  an  open  country.  After  we 
had  encamped  the  first  night,  there  came  on 
a  terrible  storm  of  snow,  accompanied  by 
a  strong  and  cold  north  wind;  and  as  we 
were  in  an  open  plain,  we  had  nothing  to 
shelter  us  from  the  violence  of  the  weather. 
In  the  morning,  we  were  covered  with  snow, 
a  foot  in  depth.  Our  people,  however,  soon 
harnessed  the  dogs;  and  we  proceeded,  hop- 
ing to  warm   ourselves,    by   running.    This 


HARMON'S  JOURNAL.  43? 

Tve  found  it  difficult  to  do,  as  the  wind  was 
strong,  and  directly  in  our  faces.  At  the 
close  of  the  day,  after  we  had  encamped,  our 
guide  killed  a  fat  buffaloe,  which  supplied 
food,  both  to  men  and  beasts.  While  eating 
it  around  a  large  fire,  we  almost  forgot  the 
suffering  which  we  endured,  by  the  cold  of 
the  preceding  night  and  morning;  and,  if 
we  were  not  thankful  for  the  blessing  be- 
stowed upon  us,  we  were,  at  least,  glad  to 
enjoy  it.  After  having  passed  one  or  two 
cold  days  without  eating,  there  is  a  relish 
in  food  to  which  the  sons  of  indolence  and 
of  pleasure,  are  perfect  strangers ;  and  which 
they  can  purchase  only,  at  the  expense  of 
toil  and  hardship. 

\Mien  we  had  approached  within  about  a 
mile  of  the  camp  of  the  Natives,  ten  or 
twelve  of  their  Chiefs,  or  most  respectable 
men  among  them,  cam^e  on  horseback,  to 
meet,  and  conduct  us  to  their  dwellings. 
We  arrived  at  them,  through  a  crowd  of 
people,  who  hailed  us  with  a  shout  of  joy. 
Immediately  after  our  arrival,  the  principal 
Chief  of  the  village  sent  his  son,  to  invite 
me  and  my  interpreter  to  his  tent.  As  soon 
as  we  had  entered  it,  and  were  seated,  the 
respectable  old  Chief  caused  meat  and  berries, 
and  the  best  of  everything  which  he  had,  to 
be  set  before  us.  Before  we  had  eaten  m.uch, 
we  were  sent  for  to  another  tent,  where  we 
received  a  similar  treatment ;  and  from  this, 
we  were  invited  to  another;  and  so  on,  till 


44  HARMON'S  JOURNAL. 

we  had  been  to  more  than  half  a  dozen. 
At  all  these,  we  ate  a  little,  and  smoked  our 
pipes ;  for,  my  interpreter  informed  me,  they 
would  be  greatly  affronted,  and  think  that 
we  despised  them,  if  we  refused  to  taste  of 
every  thing  which  was  set  before  us.  Hospi- 
tality to  strangers,  is  among  the  Indian 
virtues. — During  several  days  that  we  re- 
mained with  these  people,  we  were  treated 
with  more  real  politeness,  than  is  commonly 
shown  to  strangers,  in  the  civilized  part  of 
the  world. 

While  I  was  at  the  camp  of  the  Natives,  I 
was  invited  to  attend  and  see  them  dance. 
The  dancers  were  about  thirty  in  number, 
and  were  all  clothed  with  the  skins  of  the 
Antelope,  dressed,  which  were  nearly  as  white 
as  snow ;  and  upon  their  heads  they  sprinkled 
a  white  earth,  which  gave  them  a  very  gen- 
teel appearance.  Their  dance  was  conducted 
in  the  following  manner.  A  man,  nearly 
forty  years  of  age,  rose  with  his  tomahawk 
in  his  hand,  and  made,  with  a  very  distinct 
voice,  a  long  harangue.  He  recounted  all 
the  noble  exploits  which  he  had  achieved, 
in  the  several  war-parties  with  which  he  had 
engaged  his  enemies;  and  he  made  mention 
of  two  persons,  in  particular,  whom  he  first 
killed,  and  then  took  off  their  scalps;  and 
for  each  of  these,  he  gave  a  blow  with  his 
tomahawk  against  a  post,  which  was  set  up, 
expressly  for  that  purpose,  near  the  center 
of   the   tent.    And   now   the  musick  began, 


HARMON'S  JOURNAL.  45 

which  consisted  of  tambourines,  and  the 
shaking  of  bells,  accompanied  by  singing. 
Soon  after,  the  man  who  had  made  the 
harangue,  began  the  dance,  with  great  maj- 
esty; then  another  arose,  and  joined  him; 
and  shortly  after,  another;  and  so  on,  one 
after  another,  until  there  were  twelve  or 
fifteen  up,  who  all  danced  around  a  small 
fire,  that  was  in  the  centre  of  the  tent.  While 
dancing,  they  made  many  savage  gestures 
and  shrieks,  such  as  they  are  in  the  habit 
of  making,  when  they  encounter  their  en- 
emies. In  this  course,  they  continued,  for 
nearly  an  hour,  when  they  took  their  seats, 
and  another  party  got  up,  and  went  through 
with  the  same  ceremonies.  Their  dancing 
and  singing,  however,  appeared,  to  be  a 
succession  of  the  same  things;  and  there- 
fore after  having  remained  with  them  two 
or  three  hours,  I  returned  to  my  lodgings; 
and  how  long  they  continued  their  amuse- 
ment, I  cannot  say. 

In  this  excursion,  we  saw  buffaloes  in 
abundance;  and  when  on  a  small  rise  of 
ground,  I  think  I  may  with  truth  affirm, 
that  there  were  in  view,  gazing  on  the  sur- 
rounding plains,  at  least  five  thousand  of 
them.  Of  these  animals,  we  killed  what  we 
wanted  for  our  own  subsistence,  and  the 
support  of  our  dogs;  and  this  evening,  we 
returned  to  the  fort,  well  pleased  with  our 
jaunt,  loaded  with  furs  and  provisions,  and 
without  having  received  the  least  affront  or 


46  HARMON'S  JOURNAL. 

the  smallest  injury  from  the  Natives,  not- 
withstanding most  of  them  became  intoxi- 
cated with  the  spirits,  with  which  we  sup- 
plied them. 

Tuesday,  February  17.  We  have  now 
about  a  foot  and  a  half  of  snow  on  the 
ground, — Mr.  Monteur,  accompanied  by  two 
Canadians,  arrived,  with  letters  from  our 
friends,  in  Fort  des  Prairies.— This  morning, 
one  of  our  people  killed  a  buSaloe  in  the 
Prairie,  opposite  to  the  fort;  and  another 
came  within  ten  rods  of  the  fort  gate,  when 
the  dogs  pursued  him,  and  he  ran  off. 

Thursday,  19,  This  day,  I  am  twenty 
three  years  of  age,  and  how  rapidly  does 
this  space  of  time  appear  to  have  passed 
away  !  It  seems  as  if  it  were  but  yesterday, 
that  I  was  a  child.  The  truth  is,  the  time 
that  we  are  allowed  to  remain  in  this  fleet- 
ing world  is  so  short,  even  if  we  should  be 
permitted  to  reach  the  utmost  boundary  of 
human  life,  that  a  person  can  scarcely  have 
passed  the  threshold  of  existence,  before  he 
must  set  his  house  in  order  to  die. 

Friday,  20,  During  the  last  night,  we  sat 
up  to  deal  out  spirits  to  the  Indians.  One 
of  them  has  his  own  daughter  for  a  wife,  and 
her  mother  at  the  same  time !  Incest,  how- 
ever, is  a  crime,  of  which  the  Indians  of  this 
quarter  are  not  often  guilty.  When  one  of 
them  does  commit  it,  he  is  regarded  by  the 
rest  of  his  tribe,  as  void  of  sense. 

Saturday,  March  14.    The  greater  part  of 


HARMON'S  JOURNAL.  47 

the  enow  is  now  dissolved.  On  the  sixth 
inst.  accompanied  by  eighteen  of  our  people, 
I  left  this,  to  go  to  Swan  River  fort.  We 
had  thirty  sledges,  some  drawn  by  horses, 
and  some  by  dogs,  which  were  loaded  with 
furs  and  provisions. 

Saturday,  April  4.  Swan  River  Fort.  Here 
I  arrived  this  afternoon,  and  have  come  to 
pass  the  remainder  of  the  spring.  While  at 
Alexandria,  my  time  passed  agreeably  in 
company  with  A.  N.  McLeod,  Esq.  who  is  a 
sensible  man,  and  an  agreeable  companion. 
He  appeared  desirous  of  instructing  me  in 
what  was  most  necessary  to  be  known, 
respecting  the  affairs  of  this  country;  and 
a  taste  for  reading  I  owe,  in  a  considerable 
degree,  to  the  influence  of  his  example. 
These,  with  many  other  favours,  which  he 
was  pleased  to  show  me,  I  shall  ever  hold 
in  grateful  remembrance. — But  now  I  am 
comparatively  alone,  there  being  no  person 
here,  able  to  speak  a  word  of  English;  and 
as  I  have  not  been  much  in  the  company 
of  those  who  speak  the  French  language,  I 
do  not  as  yet,  understand  it  very  well.  Hap- 
pily for  me,  I  have  a  few  books;  and  in  pe- 
rusing them,  I  shall  pass  most  of  my  leisure 
moments. 

Monday,  6.  I  have  taken  a  ride  on  horse- 
back, to  a  place  where  our  people  are  making 
sugar.  My  path  led  me  over  a  small  prairie, 
and  through  a  wood,  where  I  saw  a  great 
variety   of  birds,  that  were  straining  their 


48  HARMON'S  JOURNAL. 

tuneful  throats,  as  if  to  welcome  the  return 
of  another  spring ;  small  animals,  also,  were 
running  about,  or  skipping  from  tree  to 
tree,  and  at  the  same  time,  were  to  be  seen 
swans,  bustards,  ducks,  &c.  swimming  about 
in  the  river  and  ponds.  All  these  things 
together,  rendered  my  ramble  beyond  ex- 
pression delightful. 

Friday,  10.  Fine  pleasant  weather.  This 
afternoon,  I  took  a  solitary,  yet  pleasing 
walk,  to  the  ruins  of  a  fort,  which  was  aban- 
doned, a  few  years  since,  by  the  Hudson  Bay 
people,  to  whom  it  belonged,  but  who  do  not 
now  come  into  this  part  of  the  country. 
While  surveying  these  ruins,  I  could  not 
avoid  reflecting  on  the  short  duration  of 
every  thing  in  this  fleeting  and  perishing 
world.  I  then  went  to  a  spot,  where  a  num- 
ber of  their  people  had  been  interred,  far 
from  their  native  country,  their  friends  and 
relations !  And  while  I  was  lamenting  their 
sad  fate,  my  blood  chilled  at  the  thought, 
that  what  had  happened  to  them  might, 
very  probably,  befal  me  also.  But  my  prayer 
shall  ever  be,  that  a  merciful  God  will,  in 
due  time,  restore  me  to  my  friends  and  re- 
lations, in  good  health,  and  with  an  un- 
blemished character. 

Sunday,  19.  On  Friday  last,  there  fell 
nearly  a  foot  of  snow,  which,  however,  was 
soon  dissolved;  and  it  caused  the  river  to 
overflow  its  banks  to  such  a  distance,  that 
our  people  who    were    making    sugar,    were 


HARMON'S  JOURNAL.  49 

obliged  to  leave  the  woods  and  return  to 
the  fort. 

Tuesday,  21.  All  the  snow  has  left  us; 
and  we  are  again  favoured  with  fine  weather. 
The  last  night,  the  ice  in  this  river  broke 
up. 

Monday,  27.  It  has  snowed  all  day,  and 
has  fallen  to  the  depth  of  six  inches.— I  now 
begin  to  feel  the  want  of  books,  having 
brought  but  few  with  me,  on  account  of  the 
short  time  that  I  expect  to  remain  here. 

Saturday,  May  2.  It  has  rained  all  day, 
which  is  the  first  time  that  any  has  fallen, 
since  the  last  autumn. — As  I  have  but  little 
business  that  requires  my  attention,  I  em- 
ploy the  greater  part  of  my  time  in  reading 
the  Bible,  and  in  studying  the  French  lan- 
guage. 

Sunday,  10.  It  has  rained  constantly,  dur- 
ing three  successive  days,  which  has  caused 
the  water  in  the  river,  since  yesterday,  to 
rise  more  than  four  feet. — Yesterday,  one  of 
my  men  went  out  to  shoot  ducks,  and  lost 
his  way,  and  was  therefore  under  the  neces- 
sity of  passing  the  night  in  the  woods,  with- 
out any  covering  from  the  cold  and  the  rain, 
which  poured  down  in  torrents.  This  morn- 
ing, however,  by  chance,  or  rather  directed 
by  an  all  protecting  Providence,  he  fell  upon 
a  small  foot  path,  which  brought  him  di- 
rectly to  the  fort,  where  he  was  not  a  little 
pleased  to  arrive.  Experience  only  can 
teach  us  how  to  value  such  a  deliverance. 


50  HARMON'S  JOURNAL. 

Wednesday,  13.  The  late  rains  have  caused 
this  river  to  overflow  its  banlcs  to  such  an 
uncommon  distance,  that  when  I  arose  this 
morning,  to  my  surprise,  I  found  seven  inches 
of  water,  on  the  first  floor  of  the  house, 
which  is  an  event  that  the  oldest  person  here 
does  not  remember  before  to  have  witnessed. 
We  are  obliged  to  leave  the  fort,  and  to 
pitch  our  tents  on  a  small  rise  of  ground, 
at  no  great  distance  off,  where  we  shall  re- 
main until  the  deluge  is  abated. 

Friday,  15.  Sent  five  men  with  a  canoe, 
two  days  march  up  this  river,  for  Mr.  Mc- 
Leod  and  company,  as  the  face  of  the  coun- 
try extensively  lies  under  water. 

Wednesday,  20.  The  water  has  left  the 
fort ;  and  with  pleasure,  we  leave  our  tents, 
to  occupy  our  former  dwellings.  This  after- 
noon Mr.  McLeod,  and  company,  arrived, 
and  are  thus  far  on  their  way  to  the  Grand 
Portage. 

Tuesday,  26.  Yesterday,  our  people  fin- 
ished making  our  furs  into  packs,  of  ninety 
pounds  weight  each.  Two  or  three  of  these 
make  a  load  for  a  man,  to  carry  across  the 
portages.  This  morning,  all  the  hands,  des- 
tined to  this  service,  embarked  on  board  of 
five  canoes,  for  Head-quarters.  To  Mr.  Mc- 
Leod, I  delivered  a  packet  of  letters,  to  be 
forwarded  to  my  friends,  who  reside  at  Ver- 
gennes,  in  the  state  of  Vermont,  and  tomor- 
row, I  shall  set  out  for  Alexandria,  where  I 
expect  to  pass  the  ensuing  summer,  and  to 


HARMON'S  JOURNAL.  51 

superintend  the  affairs  of  that  place  and  of 
this,  until  the  next  autumn. 

Monday,  June  1.  Accompanied  by  two 
men,  I  arrived  at  Alexandria,  this  afternoon ; 
and  I  here  found  six  families  of  Crees,  en- 
camped about  the  fort.  I  have  with  me  one 
clerk,  two  interpreters  and  five  labouring 
men,  also  six  women  and  thirteen  children, 
belonging  to  our  people,  and  a  number  of 
women  and  children  belonging  to  the  Na- 
tives, whose  husbands  have  gone  to  make 
war  upon  the  Rapid  Indians,  or  as  thej  call 
themselves,  Paw-is-tick  I-e-ne-wuck.  This  is 
a  small  but  brave  tribe,  who  remain  a  con- 
siderable distance  out  in  the  large  prairies, 
and  toward  the  upper  part  of  the  Missouri 
river.  We  shall  have  nearly  one  hundred 
mouths  to  fill,  for  the  greater  part  of  the 
summer,  out  of  our  store ;  but  to  furnish  the 
means,  we  have  hired  two  of  the  Natives  to 
hunt  for  us,  during  the  season;  and  moose, 
elk,  &c.  are  considerably  numerous  in  this 
vicinity.  We  hope,  therefore,  that  we  shall 
not  want  for  the  means  of  subsistence.  Buf- 
faloes have  now  returned  several  days'  march 
from  this  place,  into  the  spacious  prairies; 
but  this  is  no  serious  loss  to  us,  since,  if 
they  were  near  they  would  be  but  indifferent 
food,  as  at  this  season  of  the  year,  they  are 
always  lean,  and  consequently,  rank  and 
tough. 

Wednesdny,  10.  It  is  currently  reported 
and   believed,    that   the    Rapid  Indians  are 


52  HARMON'S  JOURNAL. 

forming  a  war-party,  in  order  to  come 
against  the  Indians  of  this  quarter,  whom 
they  consider,  and  I  think  with  sufficient 
reason,  as  their  enemies.  Should  they  come 
this  way,  they  will  as  probably  fall  upon  us 
as  upon  the  Natives  themselves ;  for  they  say 
that  we  furnish  the  Crees  and  Assiniboins 
with  what  fire  arms  they  want,  while  they 
get  but  few.  I  have,  therefore,  thought  it 
expedient  to  direct  our  people,  to  build 
block-houses  over  the  fort  gates,  and  to  put 
the  bastions  in  order,  that  we  may  be  pre- 
pared to  defend  ourselves,  in  case  of  an 
attack. 

Sunday,  14.  This  afternoon,  a  number 
of  the  Natives  danced  in  the  fort.  Their 
dance  was  conducted  in  the  following  man- 
ner. Two  stakes  were  driven  into  the  ground, 
about  twenty  feet  apart;  and  as  one  per- 
son beat  the  drum,  the  others,  consisting  of 
men  and  women,  danced  round  these  stakes. 
The  men  had  a  different  step  from  that  of 
the  women.  The  latter  placed  both  feet  to- 
gether, and  first  moved  their  heels  forward 
and  then  their  toes,  and  thus  went  twice 
round  the  stakes.  But  the  men  rather  hopped 
than  danced,  and  therefore  went  twice  round 
the  stakes,  while  the  women  went  once. 
They  all  kept  exact  time  with  the  music,  for 
they  have  excellent  ears.  Indeed,  I  beUeve 
that  all  their  senses  are  more  acute  than 
those  of  the  white  people. 

Thursday,  July  9.    This  day,  there  came 


HARMON'S  JOURNAL.  53 

here  an  American,  that,  when  a  small  child, 
was  taken  from  his  parents,  who  then  re- 
sided in  the  Illinois  country.  He  was  kid- 
napped by  the  Sauteux,  with  whom  he  has 
resided  ever  since;  and  he  speaks  no  other 
langruage  excepting  theirs.  He  is  now  about 
twenty  years  of  age,  and  is  regarded  as  a 
chief  among  that  tribe.  He  dislikes  to  hear 
people  speak  to  him,  respecting  his  white 
relations ;  and  in  every  respect  excepting  his 
colour,  he  resembles  the  savages,  with  whom 
he  resides.  He  is  said  to  be  an  excellent 
hunter.  He  remains  with  an  old  woman 
who,  soon  after  he  was  taken  from  his  re- 
lations adopted  him  into  her  family;  and 
they  appear  to  be  mutually  as  fond  of  each 
other,  as  if  they  were  actually  mother  and 
eon. 

Thursday,  30.  Different  kinds  of  berries 
are  now  ripe,  such  as  strawberries,  raspber- 
ries, and  what  the  Canadians  call  paires, 
which  the  Natives  denominate  Mi-sas-qui-to- 
min-uck.  The  last,  if  they  are  not  the  same 
in  kind,  exactly  resemble,  in  shape  and  taste, 
what  in  the  New  England  states  are  called 
shad  berries.  When  they  are  found  in  the 
prairies,  they  grow  on  bushes,  four  or  five 
feet  high;  but  in  a  thick  wood  they  often 
reach  to  the  height  of  fifteen  or  twenty  feet. 
Of  this  wood,  the  Natives  always  make  their 
arrows.  These  berries,  when  properly  dried 
by  the  sun,  have  an  agreeable  taste,  and  are 
excellent  to  mix  with  pimican.    The  Natives 


64  HARMON'S  JOURNAL. 

generally  boil  them  in  the  broth  of  fat  meat ; 
and  this  constitutes  one  of  their  most  dainty 
dishes,  and  is  introduced  at  all  their  feasts. 

Mr.  A.  N.  McLeod  has  a  son  here  named 
Alexander,  who  is  nearly  five  years  of  age, 
and  whose  Mother  is  of  the  tribe  of  the 
Eapid  Indians.  In  my  leisure  time,  I  am 
teaching  him  the  rudiments  of  the  English 
language.  The  boy  speaks  the  Sauteux  and 
Cree  fluently,  for  a  child;  and  makes  him- 
self understood  tolerably  well,  in  the  Assini- 
boin  and  French  languages.  In  short,  he  is 
like  most  of  the  children  of  this  country, 
blessed  with  a  retentive  memory,  and  learns 
very  readily. 

We  have  made  about  ten  tons  of  hay,  to 
feed  those  of  our  horses  which  we  intend 
shall  work,  during  the  winter  season.  The 
others  live  the  whole  year,  upon  the  grass 
which  they  find  in  the  prairies.  In  the  win- 
ter, to  procure  it,  they  must  scrape  away, 
with  their  feet,  the  snow,  which  is  generally 
eighteen  inches  deep,  excepting  on  the  highest 
hills,  from  which  the  wind  drives  most  of  it 
into  the  valleys. 

Thursday,  August  27.  All  the  provision 
which  we  now  have  in  the  fort,  consists  of 
only  about  fifteen  pounds  of  pimican;  and 
when  we  shall  be  able  to  add  to  our  supply, 
God  only  knows.  All  our  dependence  is  on 
our  hunters;  and  it  is  now  a  considerable 
time  since  they  have  killed  anything,  though 
moose  and  elk  are  numerous  in  the  vicinity. 


HARMON'S  JOURNAL,  55 

Sunday,  30.  Yesterday,  three  of  our  peo- 
ple arrived  from  the  Grand  Portage,  with 
letters  from  Mr.  McLeod,  &e.,  which  inform 
me,  that  the  above  mentioned  people,  to- 
gether with  others  who  remained  at  Swan 
River  fort,  were  sent  off  from  head  quarters, 
earlier  than  usual,  with  an  assortment  of 
goods,  supposing,  that  we  might  need  some 
articles,  before  the  main  brigade  arrives. 

Sunday,  September  6.  This  is  the  third 
day,  during  which  it  has  rained,  without  the 
least  cessation. — There  are  five  families  of 
Crees,  encamped  about  the  fort,  who  have 
been  continually  drunk,  during  the  last  forty 
eight  hours ;  but  now  they  begin  to  be  troub- 
lesome, for  they  have  nothing  more  to  sell, 
yet  they  wish  to  continue  drinking. 

One  of  the  Indians  who  was  of  the  party 
that  last  spring  went  to  war,  has  recently 
come  in.  When  he  arrived,  his  face  was 
painted  entirely  black,  which  I  am  informed, 
is  always  their  custom,  when  they  return 
from  such  expeditions.  As  he  drew  nigh  to 
the  fort,  he  began  tc  sing  a  war  song.  He 
states,  that  his  party,  the  Crees  and  As- 
siniboins,  have  made  great  slaughter  among 
their  enemies,  the  Rapid  Indians,  and  are 
bringing  a  number  of  their  women  and  chil- 
dren home  for  slaves.  He  was  sent  for- 
ward, as  he  says,  to  inform  us  of  what  they 
consider  glorious  news. 

Monday,  7.  More  of  the  Indians,  who 
have  been  to  war,  have  reached  this  place, 


56  HAKMON'S  JOURNAL. 

and  have  brought  several  slaves,  and  a  few 
scalps,  with  them.  This  afternoon,  they 
danced  and  sung  their  war  songs.  Agreeably 
to  the  custom  of  the  country,  I  gave  them 
a  few  trifling  articles,  not  as  a  reward  for 
having  been  to  war,  but  because  they  have 
done  us  honour,  as  they  think,  by  dancing  in 
our  fort. 

Sunday,  27.  It  has  snowed  and  rained  all 
day.  This  afternoon,  Mr.  McLeod  and  com- 
pany, returned  from  the  Grand  Portage,  and 
delivered  to  me  letters  from  my  friends  in  my 
native  land;  and  I  am  happy  in  being  in- 
formed, that  they  left  them  blessed  with 
good  health.  Self -banished,  as  I  am,  in  this 
dreary  country,  and  at  such  a  distance  from 
all  I  hold  dear  in  this  world,  nothing  beside, 
could  give  me  half  the  satisfaction,  which 
this  intelligence  affords.  I  also  received  sev- 
eral letters  from  gentlemen  in  different  parts 
of  the  widely  extended  North  West  Country. 

Friday,  October  2.  Montague  Aiseau,  or 
the  Bird  Mountain.  In  the  morning,  I  left 
Alexandria,  on  horse  back,  and  arrived  here 
this  evening  where,  by  permission  of  Provi- 
dence, I  shall  pass  the  ensuing  year.  I  have 
with  me  three  interpreters,  six  labouring  men 
and  two  women.  The  fort  is  built  on  the 
bank  of  Swan  River,  a  little  more  than  fifty 
miles  distant  from  its  entrance  into  Swan 
Lake.  The  Indians  who  frequent  this  estab- 
lishment are  Sauteux,  Crees  and  Mus-oa- 
goes,  all  of  whom  speak   nearly   the   same 


HARMON'S  JOURNAL.  57 

language.  Moose  and  elk  are  considerably 
numerous,  in  this  vicinity;  but  buffaloes 
seldom  come  thus  far,  into  the  woody  coun- 
try. 

Thursday,  29.  On  the  22nd  instant,  Mr. 
McLeod,  with  ten  of  his  people,  arrived  on 
horseback;  and  on  the  day  following,  I  ac- 
companied them  to  the  lower  fort,  where  I 
met  Mr.  William  Henry,  a  clerk.  Mr.  McLeod 
has  also  brought  another  clerk  into  this 
country,  by  the  name  of  Frederick  Goedike. 
This  evening,  Messrs.  McLeod,  Henry  and 
myself  returned,  but  left  the  people  behind, 
whose  horses  are  loaded  with  goods,  for 
this  place  and  Alexandria. 

Tuesday,  November  3.  Snow  has  fallen 
to  the  depth  of  three  inches,  which  is  the 
first  that  we  have  had,  this  fall. 

Thursday,  19.  A  foot  and  a  half  of  snow 
has  fallen. 

Wednesday,  December  23.  Clear  and  cold. 
On  the  16th  inst.  I  went  to  Alexandria, 
where  I  passed  several  days  agreeably,  in  the 
company  of  Messrs.  McLeod,  Henry,  and 
Goedike.  We  have  now  more  snow  than  we 
had  at  any  time  the  last  winter.  In  con- 
sequence of  lameness,  I  returned  on  a  sledge 
drawn  by  dogs. 

Friday,  25.  This  being  Christmas  day, 
agreeably  to  the  custom  of  the  country,  I 
gave  our  people  a  dram,  and  a  pint  of  spirits 
each. 

Monday,    28.    Payet,    one   of    my    inter- 


58  HARMON'S  JOURNAL. 

preters,  has  taken  one  of  the  daughters  of 
the  Natives  for  a  wife;  and  to  her  parents, 
he  gave  in  rum,  dry  goods,  &c.  to  the  value 
of  two  hundred  dollars.  No  ceremonies  at- 
tend the  formation  of  such  connexions,  as  I 
have  before  remarked,  excepting  that  the 
bridegroom,  at  the  time  to  retire  to  rest, 
shows  his  bride  where  their  common  lodging 
place  is;  and  they  continue  to  cohabit,  as 
long  as  both  parties  choose,  but  no  longer. 
One  thing  is  secured  by  this  arrangement, 
which  is  by  no  means  always  found  in  the 
civihzed  world,  and  that  is,  while  persons 
live  together,  in  a  state  of  wedlock,  they  will 
live  in  harmony. 

Friday,  January  1,  1802.  This  being 
the  first  day  of  the  year,  in  the  morning,  I 
gave  the  people  a  dram  or  two,  and  a  pint 
of  rum  each,  to  drink  in  the  course  of  the 
day,  which  enabled  them  to  pass  it  merrily, 
although  they  had  very  little  to  eat ;  for  our 
hunters  say  they  can  kill  nothing.  One  of 
them  will  not  go  out  of  his  tent;  for  he 
imagines,  that  the  Bad  Spirit,  as  they  call 
the  devil,  is  watching  an  opportunity  to 
find  him  in  the  open  air,  in  order  to  devour 
him.    What  will  not  imagination  do  ! 

Saturday,  9.  Several  days  since,  I  sent  a 
number  of  my  people  to  Alexandria  for  meat, 
as  neither  of  my  hunters  kill  any  thing; 
though  there  is  no  scarcity  of  animals  in 
this  vicinity.  But  they  have  just  returned, 
without  any  thing.    They  say  that  the  buffa- 


HARMON'S  JOURNAL.  59 

loes,  in  consequence  of  the  late  mild  weather, 
have  gone  a  considerable  distance,  into  the 
large  prairie.  We  are  therefore  under  the 
necessity  of  subsisting  on  pounded  meat,  and 
dried  chokecherries.  This  latter  article,  is 
little  better  than  nothing.  When  we  shall 
be  in  a  better  situation,  God  only  knows. 
Hope,  however,  which  seldom  abandons  the 
wretched,  denies  us  not  her  comforting  aid; 
and  past  experience  teaches  us,  that  it  is 
possible  our  circumstances  may  suddenly 
change  for  a  better. 

Sunday,  17.  Last  evening,  our  people 
brought  from  the  tent  of  the  hunter,  the 
meat  of  a  moose,  which  lighted  up  a  smile 
of  joy  upon  our  countenances.  We  were 
happy  to  find,  that  a  kind  Providence,  in- 
stead of  abandoning,  had  favoured  us  with 
one  of  the  richest  dainties,  that  this  coun- 
try affords.  It  would  be  well  if  our  \oj  was 
true  gratitude  to  our  kind  Benefactor. — 
There  are  twelve  persons  in  the  fort;  and 
yet  for  the  last  fifteen  days,  we  have  sub- 
sisted on  what  was  scarcely  sufficient  for  two 
people !  These  were  certainly  the  darkest 
days  that  I  ever  experienced.  La  this  or  any 
other  country. 

Tuesday,  19.  I  have  taken  a  walk,  ac- 
companied by  Payet,  a  short  distance  from 
the  fort,  where  we  found  hazelnuts,  still  on 
the  bushes,  in  such  plenty,  that  a  person  may 
easily  gather  a  bushel  in  the  course  of  a  day. 
I  am  told,  that  when  sheltered  from  the  wind, 


60  HAKMON'S  JOURNAL. 

all  of  them  do  not  fall  off,  until  the  month 
of  May. 

Monday,  February  1.  For  several  days 
past,  the  weather  has  been  excessively  cold; 
and  this  has  been,  I  think,  the  coldest  day 
that  I  ever  experienced.  In  fact,  the  weather 
is  so  severe,  that  our  hunters  dare  not  ven- 
ture out  of  their  tents,  although  they,  as 
well  as  ourselves,  have  little  to  eat. 

Sunday,  7.  During  the  last  three  days,  we 
have  subsisted  on  tallow  and  dried  cherries. 
This  evening,  my  men  returned  from  Alex- 
andria, with  their  sledges  loaded  with  buSaloe 
meat ;  and  the  sight  of  it,  was  truly  reviving. 
Had  this  favour  been  withheld  from  us  a 
few  days  longer,  we  must  have  all  miserably 
perished  by  famine. 

Monday,  8.  All  the  Indians  of  this  place, 
excepting  my  hunters,  have  gone  to  pass 
about  a  couple  of  months,  as  they  are  ac- 
customed to  do,  at  this  season,  on  their  be- 
loved food,  the  buffaloe. 

Friday,  19.  At  present,  thanks  to  the 
Giver  of  all  good,  we  have  a  pretty  good 
stock  of  provisions  in  store,  and  there  fore 
expect  not  to  want,  this  season. 

Saturday,  March  6.  I  have  just  returned 
from  a  visit  to  my  friends  at  Alexandria, 
where  I  passed  four  days  very  pleasantly,  in 
conversing  in  my  mother  tongue.  This  is  a 
satisfaction  that  no  one  knows,  excepting 
those,  who  have  been  situated  as  I  am, 
with  a  people  with  whom  I   cannot   speak 


HARMON'S  JOURNAL.  61 

fluently.  And  if  I  could,  it  would  afford  me 
little  satisfaction  to  converse  with  the  igno- 
rant Canadians  around  me.  All  their  chat 
is  about  horses,  dogs,  canoes,  women  and 
strong  men,  who  can  fight  a  good  battle. 
I  have,  therefore,  only  one  way  left  to  pass 
my  time  rationally,  and  that  is  reading. 
Happil}^  for  me  I  have  a  collection  of  good 
books ;  and  mine  will  be  the  fault  if  I  do  not 
derive  profit  from  them.  I,  also,  begin  to 
find  pleasure  in  the  study  of  French. 

Saturday,  20.  The  greater  number  of  our 
Indians  have  returned  from  the  prairies; 
and  as  they  have  brought  little  with  them 
to  trade,  I,  of  course,  give  them  as  little; 
for  we  are  at  too  great  a  distance  from  the 
civilized  world,  to  make  many  gratuities. 
Yet  the  Indians  were  of  a  different  opinion ; 
and  at  first  made  use  of  some  unpleasant 
language.  But  we  did  not  come  to  blows, 
and  are  now  preparing  to  retire  to  rest, 
nearly  as  good  friends  as  the  Indians  and 
traders  generally  are.  With  a  few  exceptions, 
that  friendship  is  little  more,  than  their 
fondness  for  our  property,  and  our  eager- 
ness to  obtain  their  furs. 

Wednesday,  April  21.  The  most  of  the  snow 
is  now  dissolved;  and  this  afternoon  the  ice 
in  the  river  broke  up. — All  our  Indians,  who 
for  several  days  past  encamped  near  the 
fort,  have  now  departed,  to  hunt  the  beaver. 
\Miile  they  were  here,  they  made  a  feast,  at 
which  they  danced,  cried,  sung  and  howled, 


62  HARMON'S  JOURNAL. 

and  in  a  word,  made  a  terrible,  savage  noise. 
Such  feasts,  the  Crees  are  accustomed  to 
make,  at  the  return  of  every  spring;  and 
sometimes  also  at  other  seasons  of  the  year. 
By  so  doing,  they  say  they  appease  the  an- 
ger of  the  Evil  Spirit  or  devil,  and  thus 
prevent  him  from  doing  them  harm,  to 
which  they  consider  him  as  ever  inclined. 
They  have,  also,  certain  places,  where  they 
deposit  a  part  of  their  property,  such  as 
guns,  kettles,  bows,  arrows,  «S:c.  as  a  sacri- 
fice to  the  same  Spirit.  To  the  Supreme 
Being,  however,  the  creator  and  governor  of 
the  universe,  whom  they  call  Kitch-e-mon-e- 
too,  that  is.  Great  Spirit,  they  address  their 
prayers;  yet  they  say  there  is  no  necessity 
of  paying  him  any  sacrifice,  since  he  is  a 
good  Spirit,  and  is  not  disposed  to  do  them 
injury;  whereas  the  Evil  Spirit  is  malicious, 
and  therefore,  it  is  proper  that  they  should 
strive  to  appease  his  anger. — The  above 
mentioned  feast  was  made  by  the  Chief  of 
the  band,  whose  name  is  Ka-she-we-ske-wate, 
who  for  the  long  space  of  forty  eight  hours, 
previous  to  the  entertainment,  neither  ate 
nor  drank  any  thing.  At  the  commencement 
of  the  feast,  every  person  put  on  a  gTave 
countenance;  and  the  Chief  went  through 
a  number  of  ceremonies,  with  the  utmost 
solemnity.  After  the  entertainment  was  over, 
every  Indian  made  a  voluntary  sacrifice  of 
a  part  of  his  property  to  the  devil,  or  as 
they  call  him,  Much-e-mon-e-too. 


HARMON'S  JOURNAL.  63 

Sunday,  May  2.  Accompanied  by  one  of 
my  interpreters,  I  have  taken  a  ride  to  a 
place  where  I  intend  building  a  fort,  the 
ensuing  summer.  The  animals  in  this  vicin- 
ity are  moose,  red  deer,  a  species  of  the 
antelope,  grey,  black,  brown,  chocolate  col- 
oured and  3'ellowish  bears,  two  species  of 
wolves,  wolverines,  polecats  or  skunks,  lynxes, 
kitts,  beavers,  otters,  fishers,  martins,  minks, 
badgers,  muskrats  and  black,  silver,  croes 
and  red  foxes.  Of  fowls,  we  have  swans, 
geese,  bustards,  cranes,  cormorants,  loons, 
snipes,  several  species  of  ducks,  water-hens, 
pigeons,  partridges,  pheasants,  &c.'&c.  Most 
of  the  above  named  fowls,  are  numerous  in 
spring  and  autumn;  but,  excepting  a  few, 
they  retire  to  the  north  in  the  summer,  to 
brood.  Toward  the  fall,  they  return  again; 
and  before  winter  sets  in,  they  go  to  the 
southward,  where  they  remain,  during  a  few 
of  the  coldest  months  of  the  year. 

Thursday,  6.  This  morning,  I  received  a 
letter  from  Mr.  McLeod,  who  is  at  Alexan- 
dria, informing  me,  that  a  few  nights  since, 
the  Assiniboins,  who  are  noted  thieves,  ran 
away  with  twenty  two  of  his  horses.  Many 
of  this  tribe,  who  reside  in  the  large  prairies, 
are  constantly  going  about  to  steal  horses. 
Those  which  they  find  at  one  fort,  they  will 
take  and  sell  to  the  people  of  another  fort. 
Indeed,  they  steal  horses,  not  unfrequently, 
from  their  own  relations. 

Wednesday,  12.    It  has  snowed  and  rained, 


64  HARMON'S  JOURNAL. 

during  the  day.— On  the  7th  inst.  I  went  to 
Alexandria,  to  transact  business  with  Mr. 
McLeod.  During  this  jaunt,  it  rained  almost 
constantly;  and  on  my  return,  in  crossing 
this  river,  I  drowned  my  horse,  which  cost 
last  fall,  one  hundred  dollars  in  goods,  as 
we  value  them  here. 

Monday,  17.  This  afternoon,  Mr.  McLeod 
and  company  passed  this  place,  and  are  on 
their  way  to  the  Grand  Portage.  But  I  am 
to  pass,  if  Providence  permit,  another  sum- 
mer in  the  interiour,  and  to  have  the  su- 
perintendence of  the  lower  fort,  this  place 
and  Alexandria,  residing  chiefly  at  the  latter 
place. 

Tuesday,  18.  All  the  Indians  belonging 
to  this  place,  have  now  come  in  with  the 
produce  of  their  hunts,  which  is  abundant; 
and  to  reward  them  for  their  industry,  I 
clothed  two  of  their  Chiefs,  and  gave  a  cer- 
tain quantity  of  spirits  to  them,  and  to  the 
others.  With  this  they  became  intoxicated, 
and  continued  so  during  the  last  night,  which 
prevented  our  closing  our  eyes  in  sleep;  for 
it  is  at  all  times  necessary  to  watch  the 
motions  of  the  Indians,  and  especially  is  this 
the  case,  when  reason  has  been  dethroned, 
and  passion  has  assumed  the  sole  dominion 
over  them,  through  the  influence  of  ardent 
spirits.  While  in  that  condition,  they,  like 
other  people,  often  do  things  which  they 
will  regret  in  their  sober  moments. 

Sunday,  23.    It  has  snowed  all  day;  and 


HAEMON'S  JOURNAL.  65 

about  six  inches  have  fallen.  I  am  waiting 
the  arrival  of  Mr.  Henry  to  take  charge  of 
this  post,  when  I  shall  proceed  to  Alexan- 
dria. Two  women  brought  me  a  few  hazel- 
nuts, which  thej  this  day  gathered  from  the 
bushes. 

'  Monday,  31.  Alexandria.  Here,  accom- 
panied by  two  of  my  people,  I  arrived  this 
afternoon.  In  crossing  Swan  River,  I  was  so 
unfortunate  as  to  drown  another  horse; 
and  I  was  therefore  obliged  to  perform  the 
remainder  of  the  journey  on  foot,  with  noth- 
ing to  eat.  Here,  thanks  to  the  Bestower 
of  all  good,  I  find  a  tolerable  stock  of  pro- 
visions. Mr.  Goedike  is  to  pass  the  summer 
with  me,  also  two  interpreters,  and  three 
labouring  men,  besides  several  women  and 
children,  who  together,  form  a  snug  family. 

Wednesday,  June  23.  On  the  16th  inst. 
accompanied  by  two  of  my  people,  I  set  off 
for  Swan  River  fort,  on  horseback.  The 
first  night,  we  slept  at  Bird  Mountain;  and 
the  day  following  we  arrived  at  the  lower 
fort.  From  that  place,  I  returned  in  one 
day,  which  is  a  distance  of  ninety  miles.  I, 
however,  took  a  fresh  horse  at  the  Bird 
Mountain.  One  of  my  people,  who  travelled 
less  rapidly,  has  arrived  this  evening,  and 
informed  me,  that  he  drowned  his  horse,  at 
the  same  place  where  I  had  before  drowned 
two. 

On  my  return  here,  those  in  whose  charge 
I  had  left  tlie  place,  had  nothing  to  offer  me 
5 


,66  HARMON'S  JOURNAL. 

to  eat,  excepting  boiled  parchment  skins, 
which  are  little  better  than  nothing,  and 
scarcely  deserve  the  name  of  food.  I  have 
therefore  sent  a  part  of  my  people,  to  en- 
deavour to  take  some  fish  out  of  a  small 
lake,  called  by  the  Natives  Devil's  Lake, 
which  lies  about  ten  miles  north  from  this. 
If  they  should  not  succeed,  and  our  hunters 
should  not  be  more  fortunate  than  they 
have  i)een  for  some  time  past,  I  know  not 
what  will  become  of  us.  All  our  dependence 
is  on  a  kind  Providence;  and  we  cannot 
but  hope  for  a  speedy  relief,  from  our  truly 
sad  condition. 

Friday,  July  2.  For  six  days,  after  I 
sent  the  people  to  fish  in  the  above  men- 
tioned lake,  we  subsisted  at  the  fort  on 
parchment  skins,  dogs,  herbs  and  a  few  small 
fish,  that  we  took  out  of  the  river  opposite 
to  the  fort.  But  now,  we  obtain  fish  in 
greater  plentj^. 

One  of  our  hunters  has  been  in,  and  told 
me  what  he  thought  to  be  the  cause  why 
he  could  not  kill.  He  said  that  when  he 
went  to  hunt,  he  generally  soon  fell  upon 
the  track  of  some  animal,  which  he  followed ; 
but  that,  as  soon  as  he  came  nigh  to  him, 
he  heard  the  terrible  voice  of  the  Evil  Spirit, 
that  frightened  both  himself  and  the  animal. 
The  animal  would  of  course  run  off,  and  the 
pursuit  would  end.— I  told  the  hunter,  that 
I  had  a  certain  powerful  medicine;  and  pro- 
vided he  would  do  with  it  as  I  would  direct 


HARMON'S  JOURNAL.  67 

him,  it  would  not  only  frighten  the  Evil 
Spirit  in  his  turn,  but  would  also  render 
him  at  first  speechless,'  and  that  shortly 
after  it  would  cause  him  to  die.  I  then  took 
several  drugs  and  mixed  them  together, 
that  he  might  not  know  what  they  were, 
which  I  wrapped  in  a  piece  of  white  paper^ 
and  tied  to  the  but-end  of  his  gun,  and  thus 
armed  him  to  encounter  great  or  little  devils ; 
for  they  believe  in  the  existence  of  different 
orders.  I  told  him  to  go  in  search  of  a 
moose  or  deer;  and  as  soon  as  he  should 
hear  the  voice  of  the  Evil  Spirit,  to  throw 
the  paper  tied  to  his  gun  behind  him  into 
the  air,  and  that  it  would  fall  into  the  mouth 
of  the  Evil  Spirit  pursuing  him,  and  silence 
and  destroy  him.  I  warned  him  not  to  look 
behind  him,  lest  he  should  be  too  much 
frightened  at  the  sight  of  so  monstrous  a 
creature,  but  to  pursue  the  animal,  which 
he  would  undoubtedly  kill. 

The  same  day,  the  Indian  went  to  hunt- 
ing, and  fell  upon  the  track  of  an  animal, 
which  he  followed,  as  he  has  since  told  me, 
but  a  short  distance,  before  the  Evil  Spirit, 
as  his  custom  was,  began  to  make  horrid 
cries.  The  Indian,  however,  did  with  the 
medicine  as  I  had  directed  him,  and  heard 
no  more  of  the  frightful  voice,  but  continued 
following  the  animal  until,  approaching  him, 
he  fired,  and  killed  a  fine  fat  red  deer;  and 
he  has  since  killed  several  others.  Not  only 
he,  but  the  other  Indians  place,  from  this 


68  HARMON'S  JOURNAL. 

circumstance,  perfect  confidence  in  my  medi- 
cines. What  will  not  imagination,  aided  by 
great  superstition,  make  a  person  believe  I 
It  may  be  caused,  however,  at  times,  to  re- 
move the  evils  of  its  owa  creation. 

Sunday,  4.  Mr.  William  Henry  and  com- 
pany arrived  from  the  Bird  Mountain,  and 
inform  us,  that  they  are  destitute  of  pro- 
vision there.  They  will,  therefore,  come  and 
pass  the  remainder  of  the  summer  with  us; 
for  we  now  have  provisions  in  plenty. 

Monday,  17.  In  consequence  of  the  great 
increase  of  our  family  of  late,  we  are  again 
poorly  supphed  with  provisions.  In  order,  if 
possible,  to  obtain  a  supply,  I  have  sent 
seven  of  my  people  several  different  ways,  in 
search  of  the  Natives,  who  will  be  able  to 
reheve  our  wants,  should  our  men  chance  to 
find  them.  For  this  is  the  season  of  the 
year,  when  almost  all  wild  animals  are  the 
fattest;  and  therefore,  it  is  the  best  time  to 
kill  them,  and  make  them  into  dry  pro- 
visions. 

Friday,  23.  There  are  at  present,  in  this 
vicinity,  grass-hoppers,  in  such  prodigious 
numbers,  as  I  never  before  saw  in  any  place. 
In  fair  weather,  between  eight  and  ten 
o'clock,  A.  M.  which  is  the  only  part  of  the 
day  when  many  of  them  leave  the  ground, 
they  are  flying  in  such  numbers,  that  they 
obscure  the  sun,  like  a  light  cloud  passing 
over  it.  They  also  devour  every  thing  before 
them,  leaving  scarcely  a  leaf  on  the  treft«i 


HARMON'S  JOURNAL.  69 

or  a  blade  of  grass  on  the  prairies ;  and  our 
potatoe  tops  escape  not  their  ravages. 

Tuesday,  August  3.  The  most  of  the 
mosquetoes  and  horse  flies,  which  are  so 
troublesome  to  man  and  beast,  have  left 
us,  as  the  nights  now  begin  to  be  cool. 

Yesterday,  six  families  of  Crees  came  to 
the  fort ;  and  they  have  been  drinking,  ever 
since.  An  Indian  had  a  few  wrangling  words 
with  a  squaw,  belonging  to  another  man, 
to  whom  he  gave  a  slight  beating.  At  that 
time,  the  chief,  who  was  the  friend  of  the 
Indian,  was  passing  by;  and  he  was  so  en- 
raged at  the  abusive  language  given  by  the 
woman  to  his  friend,  that  he  commenced 
beating  her  on  the  head  with  a  club,  and 
soon  terminated  her  life.  This  morning, 
the  Indian  women  buried  her  corpse ;  and  no 
more  notice  is  taken  of  her  death,  than  if  a 
dog  had  been  killed ;  for  her  relations  are  at 
a  considerable  distance,  in  another  part  of 
the  country. — An  Indian  is  not  much  re- 
garded or  feared  by  his  fellows,  unless  he 
has  a  number  of  relations  to  take  part  with 
him  in  his  contests  while  in  life,  or  to  avenge 
his  death,  in  case  he  should  be  murdered. 
This  is  true  among  all  the  Indian  tribes, 
with  whom  I  have  been  acquainted. 

Wednesday,  11.  On  the  ninth  instant,  a 
Chief  among  the  Crees,  came  to  the  fort, 
accompanied  by  a  number  of  his  relations, 
who  appeared  very  desirous  that  I  should 
take  one  of  his  daughters,  to  remain  with 


70  HARMON'S  JOURNAL. 

me.  I  put  him  off  by  telling  him,  that  I 
could  not  then  accept  of  a  woman,  but  prob- 
ably might,  in  the  fall.  He  pressed  me  how- 
ever, to  allow  her  to  remain  with  me,  at 
once,  and  added,  "I  am  fond  of  you,  and 
my  wish  is  to  have  my  daughter  with  the 
white  people;  for  she  will  be  treated  better 
by  them,  than  by  her  own  relations."  In 
fact,  he  almost  persuaded  me  to  keep  her; 
for  I  was  sure  that  while  I  had  the  daughter, 
I  should  not  only  have  the  father's  furs,  but 
those  of  all  his  band.  This  would  be  for  the 
interest  of  the  Company,  and  would  there- 
fore, turn  to  my  own  advantage,  in  some 
measure;  so  that  a  regard  to  interest,  well 
nigh  made  me  consent  to  an  act,  which 
would  have  been  unwise  and  improper.  But, 
happily  for  me,  I  escaped  the  snare. 

Saturday,  28.  I  have  sent  Primault,  one 
of  my  interpreters,  with  a  letter,  about  six 
days'  march  from  this,  where  I  expect  he  will 
meet  Mr.  McLeod  and  company,  on  their 
way  from  the  Grand  Portage.  Two  of  our 
people,  whom  I  sent  a  few  days  since  into 
the  large  prairie,  have  just  returned  with 
the  news,  that  buffaloes  are  numerous,  with- 
in two  days'  march  from  this.  They  say, 
that  the  Natives,  during  the  two  days  that 
they  remained  with  them,  killed  upwards  of 
eighty,  by  driving  them  into  a  park,  made 
ior  that  purpose. 

Sunday,  October  3.  Yesterday,  a  little 
snow   fell,    which  is  the  first  that  we  have 


HARMON'S  JOURNAL.  71 

had  thi8  season.  We  now  begin  to  think 
some  disaster  has  befallen  our  people,  on 
their  way  in,  as  they  do  not  make  their  ap- 
pearance so  soon  as  usual. 

Monday,  4.  One  of  our  men  has  just 
arrived  from  the  Grand  Portage,  and  deliv- 
ered me  a  letter  from  Mr.  McLeod,  informing 
me,  that  he  is  going  to  Athabasca,  and  is  to 
be  succeeded  here  by  Mr.  Hugh  McGillies. 
The  canoe  in  which  this  man  came,  left  head- 
quarters alone,  some  time  before  the  main 
brigade  was  prepared  to  leave. 

Thursday,  21,  This  afternoon,  Mr.  Hugh 
McGillies,  accompanied  by  one  man  on  horse 
back,  arrived,  and  informs  me,  that  they 
were  stopped  by  the  ice,  fifteen  miles  below 
Swan  River  fort,  whence  they  will  be  obliged 
to  bring  the  goods,  on  sledges. 

Monday,  25.  A  large  band  of  Indians 
have  been  here,  who  were  continually  drink- 
ing, during  the  last  forty  eight  hours.  They 
have  now  taken  their  departure;  but  an- 
other band  has  just  arrived,  and,  therefore, 
we  must  pass  another  night  without  sleep; 
for  when  the  Natives  are  at  the  fort,  and 
have  the  means  of  purchasing  spirits,  they 
expect  to  drink  both  night  and  day. 

Saturday,  30.  Several  of  our  people  ar- 
rived from  Swan  River,  and  delivered  me 
letters  from  my  friends  in  the  United  States, 
the  perusal  of  which,  has  afforded  me  much 
satisfaction. 

Samuel  Holmes,  a  clerk  and  interpreter, 


72  HARMON'S  JOURNAL. 

and  a  countryman  of  mine,  has  left  us,  to 
go  and  join  our  opponents,  the  X.  Y.  people. 
[*Soon  afterwards,  he  left  the  service  of  the 
last  mentioned  company,  and  went  to  live 
with  the  Natives,  the  Assiniboins,  by  whom, 
a  year  or  two  after,  he  was  killed,  while  he 
was  on  his  way  from  the  Red  River  to  the 
River  Missouri.] 

Monday,  November  1.  I  have  taken  a 
ride,  accompanied  by  my  interpreter,  down 
to  see  the  Hudson  Bay  people.  A  Mr,  Miller 
has  charge  of  the  place,  and  has  with  him 
fifteen  labouring  men,  the  greater  part  of 
whom  have  just  returned  from  Albany  fort, 
which  stands  at  the  mouth  of  Albany  River. 

Tuesday,  9.  Bird  Mountain.  Here  I  am 
to  pass  another  winter;  and  with  me  there 
will  be  one  interpreter  and  six  labouring  men, 
&c.  Thus  I  am  continually  moving  from 
place  to  place;  and  when  my  residence  will 
be  more  stationary,  God  only  knows.  I  can- 
not, however,  but  look  forward,  with  pleas- 
ing expectation,  to  the  time,  when  I  hope 
to  be  permitted  to  settle  down  in  some  part 
of  the  civilized  world. 

Friday,  19.  I  have  just  returned  from 
the  lower  fort,  where  I  have  been  accom- 
panied with  part,  of  my  people,  for  goods. 
I  find  here  a  band  of  Indians,  who  have 
been  waiting  for  my  return,  in  order  to  pro- 
cure such  articles  as  they  need,    to   enable 

•The  remarks  included  in  brackets  were  added  at 
a  later  date. 


HARMON'S  JOURNAL.  73 

them  to  make  a  fall  hunt.  The  Indians  in 
this  quarter  have  been  so  long  accustomed 
to  use  European  goods,  that  it  would  be 
with  difficulty  that  they  could  now  obtain 
a  livelihood,  without  them.  Especially  do 
they  need  fire  arms,  with  which  to  kill  their 
game,  and  axes,  kettles,  knives,  &c.  They 
have  almost  lost  the  use  of  bows  and  arrows ; 
and  they  would  find  it  nearly  impossible  to 
cut  their  wood  with  implements,  made  of 
stone  or  bone. 

Thursday,  December  25.  Severe  cold 
weather.  This  day  being  Christmas,  our 
people  have  spent  it  as  usual,  in  drinking 
and  fighting. — My  education  has  taught  me, 
that  the  advent  of  a  Saviour,  ought  to  be 
celebrated  in  a  far  different  manner. — Of  all 
people  in  the  world,  I  think  the  Canadians, 
when  drunk,  are  the  most  disagreeable;  for 
excessive  drinking  generally  causes  them  to 
quarrel  and  fight,  among  themselves.  In- 
deed, I  had  rather  have  fifty  drunken  Indians 
in  the  fort,  than  five  drunken  Canadians. 

Thursday,  January  27,  1803.  I  have  just 
returned  from  Alexandria,  where  I  passed  six 
days,  much  to  my  satisfaction,  in  the  com- 
pany of  Messrs.  H.  McGillies,  W.  Henry  and 
F.  Goedike.  ^Miile  there,  I  wrote  to  Messrs. 
McLeod,  A.  Henry  and  J.  Clarke,  all  of  Ath- 
abasca, which  letters  will  be  taken  to  them, 
by  our  winter  express. 

Sunday,  February  20.  Yesterday  morn- 
ing, one  of  the  Indian  women  came  to  the 


74  HARMON'S  JOURNAL. 

fort  and  said,  her  husband  had  cut  off  her 
nose,  and  was  determined  to  kill  her,  and 
that  she  therefore  thought  proper  to  leave 
him,  and  go  to  Alexandria,  where  she  would 
be  out  of  his  reach,  at  least  for  the  present. 
But,  after  her  arrival  here,  she  altered  her 
mind,  and  desired  my  interpreter  to  put  an 
end  to  her  life,  which  he,  of  course,  refused 
to  do.  Then  said  she,  '  I  will  do  the  business 
myself,  for  I  am  resolved  that  I  will  Uve 
with  my  husband  no  longer.'  We  did  not 
believe,  however,  that  she  would  execute  this 
determination. — Soon  after,  she  went  into 
the  woods,  a  short  distance,  and  laid  down 
her  load  of  the  few  things  which  she  had 
upon  her  back,  and  struck  and  kindled  up 
a  fire,  into  which  she  threw  the  most  of  her 
property.  WTien  it  was  nearly  consumed, 
she  took  a  little  bag  of  powder  and  put  it 
into  her  bosom,  and  then  set  fire  to  it.  The 
explosion  burned  a  great  part  of  the  hair 
from  her  head,  injured  her  face  very  much, 
and  rendered  her  perfectly  blind.  She  now 
commenced  running  about,  in  order  if  possi- 
ble, to  catch  her  dogs,  which  she  was  resolved 
next  to  burn.  WTien  we  heard  her  calling  out 
for  them,  we  went  out  to  see  what  she  was 
doing;  for  at  this  time,  we  knew  nothing 
of  what  had  taken  place. — The  spectacle  was 
truly  shocking !  She  was  so  disfigured,  as 
scarcely  to  appear  like  a  human  being.  We 
brought  her  to  the  fort,  where  she  remained 
very    quiet,    until   we    were   all   in  bed  and 


HARMON'S  JOURNAL.  75 

asleep,  when  she  got  up,  and  went  again 
into  the  woods.  There  she  tied  a  cord  about 
her  neck,  and  then  fastened  it  to  the  hmb  of 
a  tree.  But  on  throwing  herself  off,  the 
branch  broke,  and  she  fell  into  the  snow, 
where  she  remained  until  morning,  when  we 
found  her  nearly  lifeless.  On  examining,  we 
discovered  that  she  had  run  a  needle  its  full 
length,  into  her  right  ear.  We  brought  her 
again  to  the  fort ;  but  her  head  is  very  much 
swollen,  and  her  face  is  perfectly  black;  and 
whether  she  will  recover,  is  uncertain.  [Sev- 
eral years  afterward,  I  saw  her  with  her  old 
husband ;  and  she  appeared  to  enjoy  as  good 
health  as  formerly.] 

Wednesday,  May  4.  Alexandria.  Here,  if 
Providence  permit,  I  shall  pass  another  sum- 
mer, and  have  with  me  Mr.  F.  Goedike,  one 
interpreter  and  several  labouring  men,  be- 
sides women  and  children.  As  Mr.  Goedike 
will  be  absent  from  the  fort,  during  the 
greater  part  of  the  summer,  I  shall  be,  in  a 
great  measure,  alone;  for  ignorant  Cana- 
dians furnish  little  society.  Happily  for  me, 
I  have  lifeless  friends,  my  books,  that  will 
never  abandon  me,  until  I  first  neglect  them. 

Thursday,  June  2.  I  have  set  our  people 
to  surround  a  piece  of  ground  for  a  garden, 
with  palisades,  such  as  encompass  our  forts. 
The  X.  Y.  people  are  building  a  fort,  five 
miles  up  this  river. 

One  of  our  men,  a  Canadian,  gave  me  his 
son,   a  lad   of  about  twelve  years  of  age, 


76  HARMON'S  JOURNAL. 

whom  I  agree,  in  the  name  of  the  North 
West  Company,  to  feed  and  clothe,  until  he 
becomes  able  to  earn  something  more.  His 
mother  is  a  Sauteux  woman.  He  is  to  serve 
me  as  cook,  &c. 

Tuesday,  21.  This  afternoon,  we  had  an 
Jicommonly  heavy  shower  of  hail  and  rain. 

Yesterday,  I  sent  Mr.  F.  Goedike,  accom- 
panied by  several  of  our  people,  with  a  small 
assortment  of  goods,  to  remain  at  some 
distance  from  this,  for  several  weeks.  In  the 
absence  of  my  friend,  this  is  to  me,  a  solitary 
place.  At  such  times  as  this,  my  thoughts 
visit  the  land  of  my  nativity ;  and  I  almost 
regret  having  left  my  friends  and  relatives, 
among  whom  I  might  now  have  been  pleas- 
antly situated,  but  for  a  roving  disposition. 
But  Providence,  which  is  concerned  in  all  the 
affairs  of  men,  has,  though  unseen,  directed 
my  way  into  this  wilderness ;  and  it  becomes 
me  to  bear  up  under  my  circumstances,  with 
resignation,  perseverance  and  fortitude.  I 
am  not  forbidden  to  hope,  that  I  shall  one 
day  enjoy,  with  increased  satisfaction,  the 
society  of  those  friends,  from  whom  I  have 
for  a  season  banished  myself. 

Sunday,  26.  I  have  just  returned  from 
an  excursion  to  the  large  prairies,  in  which 
I  was  accompanied  by  two  of  my  people; 
and  in  all  our  ramble  we  did  not  see  a  sin- 
gle Indian.  The  most  of  them,  as  is  their 
custom  every  spring,  have  gone  to  war  again. 
We  saw,  and  then  ran  down  and  killed,  buf- 


HARMON'S  JOURNAL.  77 

faloes,  and  also,  saw  red    deers   and    ante- 
lopes, bounding  across  the  prairies,  as  well 
as  bears  and  wolves,  roving  about  in  search 
of  prej.    In  the  small  lakes  and  ponds,  which 
are  to  be  met  with  occasionally,  all  over  the 
prairies,  fowls  were  in  considerable  plenty; 
and    with    our   fire  arms,   we  killed  a  suffi- 
ciency of  them,  for  our  daily  consumption. 
Although  it  rained  during  the  greater  part 
of  the  time  that  we  were  absent  from  the 
fort,  yet  the  pleasing  variety  of  the  objects 
which  were  presented  to  our  view,  made  our 
ride  very  agreeable.    One  night,  we  slept  at 
the  same  place  where,  a  few  days  before,  a 
party  of  the  Rapid  Indian  warriors  had  en- 
camped.    They  were  probably  in  search  of 
their   enemies,    the   Crees   and    Assiniboins; 
and  it  was  happy  for  us  that  we  did  not 
meet  them,  for  they  would  undoubtedly  have 
massacred  us,  as  they  consider  us  as  enemies, 
for  furnishing  their  opponents  with  fire  arms. 
Monday,  August  8.    We  have  now  thirty 
people  in  the  fort,  and  have  not  a  supply  of 
provisions  for  two  days.    Our  hunters,  owing 
to  a  bad  dream,  or  some  other  superstitious 
notion,  think  they  cannot  kill,  and  therefore 
make  no  attempt,  notwithstanding  animals 
are  numerous.    In  the  civilized  parts  of  the 
world,    when   provisions    are   scarce   in  one 
place,  they  can  generally  be  obtained  from 
some  other  place,  in  the  vicinity.     But  the 
case  is  otherwise  with  us.     When  destitute, 
we  must  wait  until  Providence  sends  us  a 


78  HARMON'S  JOURNAL. 

supply;  and  we  sometimes  think  it  rather 
tardy  in  coming. 

Thursday,  18.  An  Indian  has  just  arrived, 
who  brings  the  intelligence,  that  forty  lodges 
of  Crees  and  Assiniboins,  who  the  last  spring, 
in  company  with  forty  lodges  of  other  tribes, 
set  out  on  a  war  party,  are  returning  home. 
They  separated  at  Battle  River  from  their 
allies,  who,  the  messenger  says,  crossed  that 
river,  to  go  and  make  peace  with  their  en- 
emies, the  Rapid  and  Black-feet  Indians.  The 
tribes  last  mentioned,  inhabit  the  country 
lying  along  the  foot  of  the  Rocky  Moun- 
tains, between  the  Sisiscatchwin  and  Mis- 
souri Rivers.  Both  parties  begin  to  be  weary 
of  such  bloody  wars,  as  have  long  been 
carried  on  between  them,  and  are  much  dis- 
posed to  patch  up  a  peace,  on  almost  any 
terms.  Thus  do  ruinous  wars,  waged  by 
restless  and  ambitious  people,  in  civilized 
and  savage  countries,  lay  waste  and  destroy 
the  comforts  of  mankind. 

Sunday,  October  16.  This  afternoon  there 
fell  a  little  snow,  which  is  the  first  we  have 
had,  this  fall. 

It  is  now  several  days  since  the  X.  Y. 
people  arrived  from  the  Grand  Portage ;  but 
they  give  us  no  news  of  Mr.  Mc Gillies  and 
his  company ;  neither  would  they,  were  their 
condition  ever  so  bad.  Neither  company 
will  convey  to  the  other  the  least  intelligence, 
that  at  all  concerns  their  affairs  in  this 
country.     The  North    West    Company   look 


HARMON'S  JOURNAL.  79 

upon  the  X.  Y.  Company  as  encroachers 
upon  their  territories;  and,  I  think,  with 
some  reason,  since  the  former  company  first 
led  the  way  into  this  savage  country;  while 
the  latter  people  think,  that  the  former  have 
no  more  right  to  trade  in  this  part  of  the 
world,  than  themselves.  This  jarring  of  in- 
terests, keeps  up  continual  misunderstand- 
ings, and  occasions  frequent  broils  between 
the  contending  parties ;  and  to  such  a  height 
has  their  enmity  risen,  that  it  has,  in  several 
instances,  occasioned  blood  shed.  But  here 
the  murderer  escapes  without  punishment; 
for  the  civil  law  does  not  extend  its  pro- 
tection, so  far  into  the  wilderness.  I  under- 
stand, however,  that  measures  are  in  con- 
templation in  England,  which  will  remedy 
this  evil.  If  something  should  not  be  done 
soon,  I  fear  many  of  us  may  lose  our  lives. 

Wednesday,  19.  About  six  inches  of  snow 
have  fallen.  Mr.  McGillies  and  company 
arrived  from  the  Grand  Portage,  and  de- 
livered me  letters  from  my  friends  in  the 
United  States;  and  I  rejoiced  to  hear  that 
they  were  in  health  and  prosperity. 

Saturday,  22.  This  afternoon,  one  of  our 
men,  an  Iroquois,  died;  and  it  is  thought 
the  foundation  was  laid  for  his  death,  by 
too  great  an  exertion  of  his  strength  at 
the  portages,  on  his  way  into  the  country. 
The  death  of  our  people  is  not  unfrequently 
occasioned  by  this  circumstance. 

Sunday,  Xovember  6.     On  the  28th  ult. 


80  HARMON'S  JOURNAL. 

we  Bent  eight  of  our  men,  on  horseback, 
into  the  plains,  to  look  for  buffaloes;  and 
they  returned  this  evening,  with  their  horses 
loaded  with  the  flesh  of  those  animals.  They 
say  that  they  are  still  three  days'  march 
from  this. 

Tuesday,  December  27.  Messrs.  Henry 
and  Goedike,  my  companions  and  friends, 
are  both  absent,  on  excursions  into  two  dif- 
ferent parts  of  the  country.  I  sensibly  feel 
the  loss  of  their  society,  and  pass,  occasion- 
ally, a  solitary  hour,  which  would  glide  away 
imperceptibly,  in  their  company.  When  they 
are  absent  I  spend  the  greater  part  of  my 
time  in  reading  and  writing.  Now  and  then 
I  take  a  ride  on  horseback,  in  the  neighbour- 
hood of  the  fort,  and  occasionally  I  visit  our 
neighbours,  drawn  in  a  cariol  by  horses,  if 
the  snow  is  light,  or  by  dogs,  if  it  is  deep. 
This  afternoon,  I  accompanied  Mr.  McGilhes, 
to  pay  a  visit  to  our  X.  Y.  neighbours. 

Wednesday,  February  22,  1804.  Lac  La 
Peche,  or  Fishing  Lake.  This  lies  about 
two  days'  march  into  the  large  plains,  west 
from  Alexandria,  which  place  I  left  on  the 
15th  ultimo,  accompanied  by  twelve  of  our 
people.  I  have  come  here  to  pass  the  win- 
ter, by  the  side  of  the  X.  Y.  people.  For 
some  time  after  our  arrival,  we  subsisted  on 
rose  buds,  a  kind  of  food  neither  very  pala- 
table nor  nourishing,  which  we  gathered  in 
the  fields.  They  were  better  than  nothing, 
«ince  they  would  just  support  life.    When  we 


HARMON'S  JOURNAL.  81 

should  procure  any  thing  better,  Iknew  not,  as 
the  buffaloes  at  that  time,  in  consequence  of 
the  mild  weather,  were  a  great  distance,  out  in 
the  large  plains,  and  my  hunters  could  find 
neither  moose  nor  deer.  We  hoped,  however, 
that  a  merciful  God  would  not  suffer  us  to 
starve;  and  that  hope  has  not  been  disap- 
pointed, for  we  have  now  provisions  in  abun- 
dance, for  which  we  endeavour  to  be  thankful. 
On  the  11th  instant,  I  took  one  of  my 
interpreters  and  ten  labouring  men  with  me, 
and  proceeded  several  days'  march  into  the 
wilderness,  where  we  found  a  camp  of  up- 
wards of  thirty  lodges  of  Crees  and  Assini- 
boins,  of  whom  we  made  a  good  purchase 
of  furs  and  provisions.  They  were  encamped 
on  the  summit  of  a  hill,  whence  we  had  an 
extensive  view  of  the  surrounding  country, 
which  was  low  and  level.  Not  a  tree  could 
be  seen,  as  far  as  the  eye  could  extend ;  and 
thousands  of  buffaloes  were  to  be  seen  graz- 
ing, in  different  parts  of  the  plain.  In  order 
to  kill  them,  the  Natives  in  large  bands, 
mount  their  horses,  run  them  down  and 
shoot,  with  their  bows  and  arrows,  what 
number  they  please,  or  drive  them  into  parks 
and  kill  them  at  their  leisure.  In  fact,  those 
Indians,  who  reside  in  the  large  plains  or 
prairies,  are  the  most  independent,  and  ap- 
pear to  be  the  most  contented  and  happy 
people  upon  the  face  of  the  earth.  They 
subsist  upon  the  flesh  of  the  buffaloe,  and 
of  the  skins  of  that  animal  they  make  the 


82  HARMON'S  JOURNAL. 

greatest  part  of  their  clothing,  which  is  both 
warm  and  convenient.  Their  tents  and  beds 
are  also  made  of  the  skins  of  the  same  ani- 
mal. 

The  Crees  and  Assiniboins  procure  their 
livelihood  with  so  much  ease,  that  they  have 
but  little  to  confine  them  at  home.  They 
therefore  employ  much  of  their  time,  in  wag- 
ing war  with  their  neighbours. 

Thursday,  March  1.  Es-qui-un-a~wach-a, 
or  the  last  Mountain,  or  rather  Hill;  for 
there  are  no  mountains  in  this  part  of  the 
country.  Here  I  arrived  this  evening,  hav- 
ing left  Lac  La  Peche  on  the  28th  ultimo, 
in  company  with  my  interpreter  and  seven 
men.  The  men,  I  ordered  to  encamp  at  a 
short  distance  from  this,  and  to  join  me 
early  to-morrow  morning ;  as  it  is  more  con- 
venient and  safe,  especially  when  we  are  not 
in  our  forts,  to  give  the  Indians  spirits  to 
drink  in  the  day  time,  than  in  the  night. 
On  our  arrival,  we  were  invited  to  the  tents 
of  several  of  the  principal  Indians,  to  eat 
and  smoke  our  pipes. — Indians  show  great 
hospitality  to  strangers,  before  they  have 
been  long  acquainted  with  civilized  people, 
after  which,  they  adopt  many  of  their  cus- 
toms; but  they  are  by  no  means  always 
gainers,  by  the  exchange. 

Monday,  5.  On  the  2nd,  the  remainder  of 
our  people  arrived,  and  soon  after  I  com- 
menced dealing  out  spirits  to  the  Natives; 
and  they  continued  to  drink  during  all  that 


HARMON'S  JOURNAL.  83 

day  and  the  following;  night.  We  were,  there- 
fore, prevented  from  resigning  ourselves  to 
sleep.  For  though  the  Indians  are  naturally 
well  disposed  toward  the  white  people,  and 
seldom  begin  a  quarrel  with  us,  and  will 
even  receive  many  insults,  before  they  at- 
tempt to  defend  themselves ;  yet  when  drunk, 
they  often  behave  like  mad  men  or  devils, 
and  need  to  be  narrowly  watched. 

This  morning,  I  sent  six  of  my  people  to 
the  fort  with  sledges  loaded  with  furs  and 
provisions,  in  order  to  obtain  another  supply 
of  goods,  to  enable  us  to  go  and  trade  with 
another  large  band  of  Indians,  who  are  about 
two  days'  march  from  this,  into  the  plains. 

Tuesday,  6.  North  side  of  the  Great 
Devil's  Lake,  or  as  the  Natives  call  it,  Much- 
e-man-e-to  Sa-ky-e-gun.  As  I  had  nothing 
of  importance  to  attend  to,  while  our  peo- 
ple would  be  absent  in  their  trip  to  and 
from  the  fort,  and  was  desirous  of  seeing 
my  friend  Henry,  who,  I  understood,  was 
about  half  a  day's  march  from  where  I  was 
the  last  night,  I  therefore,  set  off  this  morn- 
ing, accompanied  by  an  Indian  lad  who 
serves  as  a  guide,  with  the  intention  of  visit- 
ing this  place.  After  walking  all  day,  with- 
out finding  either  wood  or  water,  and  but 
a  few  inches  of  snow,  just  as  the  sun  was 
descending  below  the  horizon,  we  thought 
that  we  descried  a  small  grove,  at  a  con- 
siderable distance,  directly  before  us.  So 
long,    therefore,    as   the  light  remained,  we 


84  HARMON'S  JOURNAL. 

directed  our  course  to  that  object;  but  as 
soon  as  the  daylight  failed,  we  had  nothing 
by  which  to  guide  ourselves,  excepting  the 
stars,  which,  however,  answered  very  well, 
until  even  their  faint  twinkling  was  utterly 
obscured  by  clouds,  and  we  were  inveloped 
in  total  darkness.  In  this  forlorn  condition, 
we  thought  it  best  to  continue  our  march 
as  well  as  we  could ;  for  we  were  unwilling 
to  lie  down,  with  little  or  nothing  with  which 
to  cover  us,  and  keep  ourselves  from  freezing. 
There  was  no  wood,  with  which  we  could 
make  a  fire,  nor  buffaloe  dung,  which  often 
serves  as  fuel,  when  travelling  about  in  those 
plains.  Neither  could  we  find  water  to  drink ; 
and  without  fire,  we  could  not  melt  the  snow, 
for  this  purpose.  We  suffered  much  for  want 
of  water,  as  we  had  nothing  to  eat  but  very 
dry  provisions,  which  greatly  excited  thirst. 
— To  be  deprived  of  drink  for  one  day,  is 
more  distressing  than  to  be  destitute  of 
food  for  two.— It  would  not  have  been  safe 
for  us  to  encamp,  without  a  fire;  for  we 
should  have  been  continually  exposed  to  be 
trodden  upon  by  the  large  herds  of  buffaloes, 
that  are  perpetually  roving  about  in  the 
plains,  or  to  be  devoured  by  the  wolves, 
which  ever  follow  the  buffaloe.  We  therefore 
continued  travelling,  uncertain  whither  we 
were  going,  until  at  length,  the  dogs  that 
drew  my  sledge,  suddenly  passed  by  us,  as  if 
they  saw  some  uncommon  object,  directly 
before  us.     We  did  not  attempt  to  impede 


HARMON'S  JOURNAL.  85 

their  motion,  but  followed  them  as  fast  as 
we  could,  until  they  brought  us  to  the  place 
where  we  now  are.— It  is  almost  incredible 
that  my  dogs  should  have  smelt  this  camp 
at  such  a  distance;  for  we  walked  vigorous- 
ly no  less  than  four  hours  after  they  passed 
us,  before  we  arrived  here. 

We  are  happy  in  finding  fifteen  tents  of 
Crees  and  Assiniboins,  who  want  for  none 
of  the  dainties  of  this  country;  and  I  meet, 
as  usual,  with  a  very  hospitable  reception. 
The  mistress  of  the  tent  where  I  am,  un- 
harnessed my  dogs,  and  put  my  sledge,  &c., 
into  a  safe  place.  She  was  then  proceeding 
to  give  food  to  my  dogs,  which  labour,  I 
offered  to  do  myself;  but  she  told  me  to 
remain  quiet  and  smoke  my  pipe,  for  she 
added,  "thej  shall  be  taken  good  care  of, 
and  will  be  as  safe  in  my  hands,  as  they 
would  be  were  they  in  your  own."— Notwith- 
standing it  was  near  midnight  when  I  ar- 
rived, yet  at  that  late  hour,  the  most  of  the 
Indians  rose,  and  many  of  them  invited  me 
to  their  tents,  to  eat  a  few  mouthfuls,  and 
to  smoke  the  sociable  pipe. 

But  now,  all  those  necessarj^  ceremonies 
are  over;  and  I  am  happy  in  being  able  to 
lay  myself  down  on  buffaloe  robes,  by  the 
side  of  a  warm  fire,  expecting  to  obtain 
sweet  and  refreshing  repose,  which  nature 
requires,  after  a  day's  march  so  fatiguing. 
If  I  was  ever  thankful  for  any  of  God's 
favours,  it  is,  to    find    myself   here   among 


86  HARMON'S  JOURNAL. 

friends,  and  in  comfortable  circumstances, 
when  a  few  hours  before,  I  expected  to  wan- 
der with  weariness,  anxiety  and  danger,  dur- 
ing the  whole  night,  in  the  open  plain. 

Wednesday,  7.  Canadian's  Camp.  This 
place  is  so  called  from  the  fact,  that  a  num- 
ber of  our  people  have  passed  the  greater 
part  of  the  winter  here.  As  there  is  a  good 
foot  path,  from  the  place  where  I  slept  last 
night  to  this  place,  I  left  my  young  guide 
and  came  here  alone.  Frequently  on  the 
way,  I  met  Indians,  who  are  going  to  join 
those  at  the  Devil's  Lake.  I  came  here  in 
the  pleasing  expectation  of  seeing  my  friend^ 
Henry;  but  I  am  disappointed.  Yesterday 
morning,  he  set  out  for  Alexandria.  I  hope 
to  have  the  satisfaction,  however,  of  soon 
meeting  him  at  the  fort.— I  here  find  six  Ca- 
nadians with  their  families,  who  have  passed 
the  winter  in  this  vicinity,  and  have  sub- 
sisted upon  the  flesh  of  the  buffaloe,  which 
animals  are  found  in  plenty.  The  people 
appear  to  be  happy  in  their  situation.  In- 
deed, a  Canadian,  with  his  belly  full  of  fat 
meat,  is  never  otherwise. 

Friday,  9.  North  side  of  DeviTs  Lake. 
In  the  morning,  I  left  the  Canadian's  Camp, 
and  this  afternoon  reached  this  place,  where 
I  found  my  young  guide,  waiting  my  return. 
He  is  the  son  of  a  chief,  among  the  Crees 
and  Assiniboins.  His  grandfather  was  Mon- 
sieur Florimeaux,  a  Frenchman,  who  passed 
a  number  of  years  in  the  Indian   country. 


HARAiON'S  JOURNAL.  87 

When  he  went  to  Canada,  he  took  his  son, 
the  father  of  my  young  guide,  along  with 
him,  as  far  as  Quebec,  intending  to  send 
him  to  France.  But  the  lad,  who  was  then 
twelve  or  thirteen  years  old,  did  not  like  to 
leave  his  native  country.  After  remaining 
in  Canada  for  some  time,  therefore,  he  de- 
serted and  returned  to  this  part  of  the  world, 
where,  he,  in  time,  became  a  famous  warrior, 
and  at  length,  a  chief.  He  is  much  respected 
and  beloved  by  his  relatives,  and  is  revered 
by  his  own  family.  As  a  husband  he  is 
affectionate,  and  as  a  father  he  is  kind.  It 
was  perhaps  fortunate  for  him  that  he  did 
not  go  to  France;  for,  I  am  persuaded  he 
could  not  have  hved  more  happily  and  at 
ease,  in  any  part  of  the  world,  than  in  this 
independent  country,  which  is  abundantly 
supplied  with  all  of  the  necessaries,  and  many 
of  the  luxuries  of  life. 

Saturday,  10.  In  the  middle  of  an  exten- 
sive plain.  Early  in  the  morning,  accom- 
panied by  my  young  guide,  I  left  our  last 
night's  lodgings,  to  go  to  the  place  where  I 
expect  to  find  my  people,  which  is  about 
two  days'  march  further  into  the  great  plain, 
than  where  I  separated  from  my  interpreter, 
on  the  6th  inst.  After  walking  all  day,  with- 
out finding  either  wood  or  water,  at  eight 
o'clock  at  night,  we  have  concluded  to  lay 
ourselves  down,  in  order  if  possible,  to  get  a 
little  rest.  In  the  day  time,  the  snow  melted 
a   Uttle;    but   in   the  evening  it  has  frozen 


88  HARMON'S  JOURNAL. 

hard,  and  our  feet  and  our  legs,  as  high  as 
our  knees,  are  so  much  covered  with  ice,  that 
we  cannot  take  off  our  shoes;  and  having 
nothing  with  which  to  make  a  fire,  in  order 
to  thaw  them,  we  must  pass  the  night 
with  them  on.  A  more  serious  evil  is,  the 
risk  we  must  run  of  being  killed  by  wild 
beasts. 

Sunday,  11.  Ca-ta^buy-se-pu,  or  the  River 
that  calls.  This  steam  is  so  named  by  the 
superstitious  Natives,  who  imagine  that  a 
spirit  is  constantly  going  up  or  down  it; 
and  they  say  that  they  often  hear  its  voice 
distinctly,  which  resembles  the  cry  of  a  human 
being.  The  last  night  was  so  impleasant  to 
me,  that  I  could  not  sleep,  arising  in  part 
from  the  constant  fear  which  I  was  in,  of 
being  torn  to  pieces  before  the  morning,  by 
wild  beasts.  Despondency  to  a  degree  took 
possession  of  my  spirit.  But  the  light  of  the 
morning  dissipated  my  fears,  and  restored 
to  my  mind,  its  usual  cheerfulness.  As  soon 
as  the  light  of  day  appeared,  we  left  the 
place  where  we  had  lain,  not  a  little  pleased, 
that  the  wild  beasts  had  not  fallen  upon  us. 
It  has  snowed  and  rained  all  day.— Here  I 
find  my  interpreter,  and  eighty  tents,  or 
nearly  two  hundred  men,  with  their  families. 
—Along  the  banks  of  this  rivulet,  there  is  a 
little  timber,  consisting  principally  of  the 
inferiour  species  of  the  maple;  but  no  where 
else,  is  there  even  a  shrub  to  be  seen.  The 
surrounding  country  is  a  barren  plain,  where 


HARMON'S  JOURNAL.  89^ 

nothing  grows  excepting  grass,  which  rises 
from  six  to  eight  inches  in  height,  and  fur- 
nishes food  for  the  buffaloe. 

Here,  again,  as  usual,  I  meet  with  a  kind 
reception.  These  Indians  seldom  come  thus 
far  into  the  plains,  as  the  part  of  the  country 
where  we  now  are,  belongs  to  the  Rapid  In- 
dians. A  white  man  was  never  before  known, 
to  penetrate  so  far. 

Wednesday,  14.  Last  evening  my  people 
returned  from  the  fort;  and  as  I  now  had 
spirits  for  the  Natives,  they,  of  course,  drank 
during  the  whole  night.  Being  so  numerous, 
they  made  a  terrible  noise.  They  stole  a 
small  keg  of  spirits  from  us,  and  one  of 
them  attempted  to  stab  me.  The  knife  went 
through  my  clothes,  and  just  grazed  the 
skin  of  my  body.  To  day  I  spoke  to  the 
Indian  who  made  this  attempt,  and  he  cried 
like  a  child,  and  said,  he  had  nearly  killed 
his  father,  meaning  me,  and  asked  me  why 
I  did  not  tie  him,  when  he  had  lost  the  use 
of  his  reason.— My  people  inform  me  that 
there  is  little  or  no  snow,  for  three  days' 
march  from  this ;  but  after  that,  there  is  an 
abundance,    all    the  way  to  the  fort. 

Friday,  16.  About  twelve  o'clock,  we  left 
the  Indians'  camp ;  but  being  heavily  loaded, 
considering  there  is  no  snow  and  our  prop- 
erty is  drawn  by  dogs  on  sledges,  we  made 
slow  progress.  After  we  had  encamped,  we 
sent  our  dogs,  which  are  twenty  two  in  num- 
ber, after  the  buffaloe ;  and  they  soon  stopped 


90  HARMON'S  JOURNAL. 

one  of  them,  when  one  of  our  party  went 
and  killed  him  with  an  axe,  for  we  have  not 
a  gun  with  us.  It  is,  however,  imprudent 
for  us  to  venture  thus  far,  without  fire  arms ; 
for  every  white  man,  when  in  this  savage 
country,  ought  at  all  times  to  be  well  armed. 
Then  he  need  be  under  little  apprehension 
of  an  attack;  for  Indians,  when  sober,  are 
not  inclined  to  hazard  their  lives,  and  when 
they  apprehend  danger  from  quarrelling, 
will  remain  quiet  and  peaceable. 

Saturday,  17.  North  West  end  of  Devil's 
Lake.  The  weather  is  extremely  mild,  for 
the  season.  The  surrounding  country  is  all 
on  fire ;  but  happily  for  us,  we  are  encamped 
in  a  swampy  place.  WTien  the  fire  passes 
over  the  plains,  which  circumstance  happens 
almost  yearly,  but  generally  later  than  this, 
great  numbers  of  horses  and  buffaloes  are 
destroyed;  for  those  animals  when  surrounded 
by  fire,  will  stand  perfectly  still,  until  they 
are  burned  to  death. — This  evening,  we  killed 
another  buffaloe,  in  the  same  manner  as  we 
killed  one,  the  last  evening. 

Sunday,  18.  The  weather  is  still  mild, 
and  we  see  many  grass-hoppers,  which  appear 
unusually  early  in  the  season.  As  I  found 
that  we  were  coming  on  too  slowly  with  our 
heavy  loads,  about  twelve  o'clock,  I  left  our 
property  in  charge  of  three  of  my  people, 
and  am  going  to  the  fort  with  the  others, 
for  horses  to  come  for  it. 

This  afternoon  we  met  several  of  the  X.  Y. 


HAEMOX'S  JOURNAL.  91 

people,  who  were  in  search  of  Indians;  but 
from  the  information  they  received  from  us, 
they  thought  them  at  too  great  a  distance, 
and  they  are,  therefore,  accompanj'ing  us  to 
the  fort. — The  same  success  has  attended 
us  this  evening,  which  we  met  with  the  two 
preceding  days,  in  regard  to  suppljang  our- 
selves with  food.  Indeed,  in  these  plains 
where  buffaloes  are  numerous,  it  is  not  cus- 
tomarj-,  nor  is  it  needful  for  people  who  are 
travelling,  to  burden  themselves  with  pro- 
visions; for  if  they  have  fire  arms,  they  can 
always  kill  a  sufficiency  for  the  day.  This 
renders  travelling  cheap  and  convenient. 

Thursday,  22.  Lac  la,  Pecbe.  Here  we 
have  arrived,  and  I  am  happy  in  reaching 
a  place,  where  I  can  take  a  Httle  repose, 
after  so  long  and  fatiguing  a  jaunt.  Yet  it 
has  been  in  many  respects,  both  pleasant 
and  profitable.  The  country  which  I  travelled 
over  was  beautifully  situated,  and  over- 
spread with  buffaloes,  and  various  other 
kinds  of  animals,  as  well  as  many  other  de- 
lightful objects,  which  in  succession  presented 
themselves  to  our  view.  These  things  made 
the  day  glide  away  almost  imperceptibly. 
But  there  were  times,  when  my  situation 
was  far  from  being  agreeable;  they,  how- 
ever, soon  passed  away,  and  we  all  have 
abundant  reason  to  render  thanks  to  a  kind 
Providence,  for  his  protection,  and  for  our 
safe  return  to  our  home  and  our  families. 

At  three  different  times,  while  performing 


92  HARMON'S  JOURNAL. 

the  tour  above  described,  I  was  in  great 
danger  of  losing  my  life,  by  the  evil  mach- 
inations of  the  Natives.  One  escape  has  been 
already  mentioned,  when  one  of  them  at- 
tempted to  stab  me.  While  I  was  dealing 
out  spirits  to  the  Savages,  at  the  last  moun- 
tain, on  the  night  of  the  5th  inst.  an  In- 
dian, who  was  much  intoxicated,  told  me, 
that  I  should  never  see  another  sun  arise; 
and  he,  unquestionably,  intended  to  kill  me. 
The  night  following,  after  I  arrived  at  the 
north  side  of  the  Devil's  Lake,  I  was  well 
received  by  the  greater  part  of  the  Natives 
there ;  but  as  I  have  since  been  informed,  one 
of  them  had  resolved  to  take  my  life.  And 
yet,  this  villain  invited  me  to  his  tent,  and 
I  visited  it,  without  suspicion.  He  was  pre- 
vented from  executing  his  purpose  by  my 
host,  who  was  acquainted  with  his  purpose, 
and  told  him  that  he  must  first  despatch 
bim;  for,  he  added,  '  Kitch-e-mo-cum-mon' 
(that  is  Big  Knife,  which  is  the  name  that 
they  give  me,)  *is  my  brother,  and  has 
taken  up  his  lodging  with  me,  and  it  there- 
fore becomes  me  to  defend  him  and  his  prop- 
erty.' No  Indian  will  suffer  a  stranger,  if 
he  be  able  to  defend  him,  to  be  injured, 
while  in  his  tent,  and  under  his  protection. 
Therefore,  he  who  had  intended  to  massacre 
me,  thought  it  best  to  remain  quiet.  This 
hostile  Indian  had  nothing  against  me,  but 
that  I  was  a  friend  to  a  person  who  he  con- 
sidered had  injured  him;  and  as  this  person 


HARMOxN'S  JOURNAL.  93 

was  at  a  great  distance,  and  therefore  be- 
yond his  reach,  lie  was  resolved  to  avenge 
the  affront  upon  me.  It  is  the  custom  of  all 
Savages,  not  to  be  very  particular  on  whom 
the  punishment  of  an  offence  falls,  whether 
the  guilty  person,  or  a  relation  or  friend  of 
this  person.  The  first  of  these  whom  he  hap- 
pens to  meet,  becomes  the  object  of  his  ven- 
geance; and  then  his  wrath  is  appeased,  and 
he  will  not  even  lift  his  hand  against  the 
person  who  has  offended  him. 

Saturday,  24.  Yesterday,  Mr.  F.  Goedik© 
arrived  from  Alexandria,  and  delivered  me 
a  letter  from  Mr.  McGillies,  requesting  me  to 
abandon  Lac  la  Peche,  and  proceed,  with 
all  my  people,  to  Alexandria.  In  the  fore 
part  of  the  day,  we  all  left  the  former  place. 
There  is  a  woman  with  us,  belonging  to  one 
of  our  men,  who  has  walked  the  whole  day, 
in  the  snow  and  water,  and  who,  this  even- 
ing, gave  birth  to  a  son. 

Tuesday,  27.  Alexandria.  Here  we  ar- 
rived this  afternoon.  The  woman  who,  on 
the  24th  inst.  was  delivered  of  a  child,  took 
it  on  her  shoulders  the  day  following,  and 
continued  her  march,  as  though  nothing  un- 
usual had  occurred !  It  is  a  very  happy  cir- 
cumstance, that  the  women  of  this  country 
are  blessed  with  such  strong  constitutions, 
Bfi  they  would  otherwise  be  utterly  unable 
to  endure  the  hardships  to  which  they  are 
often  exposed,  and  particularly  in  child-birth. 

Monday,    April  9.     Yesterday,  the  ice  in 


94  HARMON'S  JOURNAL. 

this  river  broke  up;  and  to  day,  we  sent 
off  four  men  in  a  boat,  loaded  with  pimican, 
to  be  transported  as  far  as  the  entrance  oi 
Winipick  River.— The  country  all  around  us, 
is  on  fire. 

San  day,  29.  Yesterday,  the  greater  part 
of  our  people  set  out  for  Swan  River ;  and  to 
day,  Mr.  McGillies,  and  the  most  of  those 
who  were  left,  have  departed  for  the  New 
Fort,  which  is  distant  about  forty-five  miles, 
to  the  north  west  from  the  former  general 
rendezvous,  the  Grand  Portage,  which  the 
Americans  have  obliged  us  to  abandon. 

It  is  thought  necessary  that  I  should  pass 
another  summer  at  this  place;  but  I  am 
happy  in  having  with  me  my  friends  Henry 
and  Goedike.  There  are  here  also  one  inter- 
preter and  several  labouring  men,  besides 
women  and  children.  We  are  preparing  a 
piece  of  ground  for  a  garden,  the  cultivation 
of  which,  will  be  an  amusement;  and  the 
produce  of  it,  we  hope,  will  add  to  our  com- 
forts. Mr.  Goedike  plays  the  violin,  and 
will  occasionally  cheer  our  spirits,  with  an 
air.  But  the  most  of  our  leisure  time,  which 
is  at  least  five  sixths  of  the  whole,  will  be 
spent  in  reading,  and  in  meditating  and 
conversing  upon  what  we  read.  How  valu- 
able is  the  art,  which  multiplies  books,  with 
great  facility,  and  at  a  moderate  expense. 
Without  them  the  wheels  of  time  would  drag 
heavily,  in  this  wilderness. 

Tuesday,  May  22.    The    seeds    which    we 


HARMON'S  JOURNAL.  95 

put  into  the  ground  on  the  10th  inst.  have 
sprung  up,  and  grow  remarkably  well. 

Tuesday,  29.  During  the  last  forty  eight 
hours,  it  has  rained  without  cessation;  and 
I  think  I  never  witnessed  so  great  a  fall  of 
water,  within  the  same  space  of  time.  The 
river  has  overflowed  its  banks,  to  a  much 
greater  distance  than  is  common;  and  our 
garden,  which  is  not  far  from  it,  now  lies 
under  water. 

Thursday,  31.  In  the  morning,  Mr.  Goe- 
dike,  Collin,  my  interpreter,  a  young  lad 
and  myself,  set  off  for  the  purpose  of  paying 
a  visit  to  our  X.  Y.  neighbours.  On  leaving 
the  fort,  we  had  the  river  to  cross,  which, 
in  consequence  of  tlae  late  rains,  is  about 
sixty  rods  broad.  Our  only  means  of  cross- 
ing it  was  a  canoe,  made  of  the  skins  of  buf- 
faloes, which,  on  account  of  the  length  of 
time  that  it  had  been  in  the  water,  began 
to  be  rotten.  Before  we  reached  the  other 
side  of  the  river,  the  canoe  was  nearly  half 
fiilled  with  water.  We  drew  it  on  shore, 
mounted  our  horses,  visited  our  neighbours, 
and  returned  to  the  place  where  we  had  left 
our  canoe,  at  about  three  o'clock  P.  M. 
Having  repaired  it  a  little,  we  embarked,  for 
the  purpose  of  returning  to  the  fort.  We 
soon  perceived  that  the  water  came  into  the 
canoe  very  fast ;  and  we  continued  paddling, 
in  hope  of  reaching  the  opposite  shore,  before 
it  would  fill.  We  were,  however,  sadly  dis- 
appointed ;  for  it  became  full,   when  we  had 


96  HARMON'S  JOURNAL. 

gone  about  one  third  of  the  distance;  but 
it  did  not  immediately  overset.  The  water, 
in  that  place,  was  about  five  feet  deep;  but 
the  current  was  strong,  and  it  soon  carried 
us  to  a  place  where  we  could  not  reach  the 
bottom,  and  the  canoe  overset.  We  all  clung 
to  it  and,  thus  drifted  a  considerable  dis- 
tance, until  the  canoe  was,  at  length,  stop- 
ped by  a  few  willows,  whose  tops  rose  above 
the  water.  Here  I  had  a  moment,  in  which 
I  could  reflect  on  our  truly  deplorable  con- 
dition, and  directed  my  thoughts  to  the 
means  of  relief.  My  first  object  was,  if  pos- 
sible, to  gain  the  shore,  in  order  to  free  my- 
self from  my  clothes,  which  I  could  not  do 
where  I  then  was.  But  my  great  coat,  a 
Tieavy  poniard,  boots,  &c.  rendered  it  very 
difficult  for  me  to  swim;  and  I  had  become 
so  torpid,  in  consequence  of  having  been  so 
long  in  the  cold  water,  that  before  I  had 
proceeded  one  third  of  the  way  to  the  shore, 
I  sunk,  but  soon  arose  again,  to  the  surface 
of  the  water.  I  then  exerted  myself  to  the 
utmost;  but,  notwithstanding,  soon  sunk  a 
second  time.  I  now  considered  that  I  must 
inevitably  drown;  the  objects  of  the  world 
retire  from  my  view,  and  my  mind  was  in- 
tent only  upon  approaching  death ;  yet  I  was 
not  afraid  to  meet  my  dissolution.*  I  how- 
ever made  a  few  struggles  more,  which  hap- 

*For  at  that  time,  I  was  ignorant  of  my  lost  con- 
dition by  nature,  and  of  the  necessity  of  being  clothed 
in  a  better  righteousness  than  my  own,  to  prepare  me 
to  appear  with  safety  before  a  holy  God,  in  judgment. 


HARMON'S  JOURNAL.  97 

pily  took  me  to  a  small  tree  that  stood  on 
what  is  usually  the  bank  of  the  river,  but 
which  is  now  some  rods  distant  from  dry 
land.  I  remained  there  for  some  time,  to 
recover  strength,  and  at  length  proceeded  to 
the  shore;  and  as  soon  as  I  had  gained  it, 
my  mind  rose  in  ardent  gratitude  to  my 
gracious  Preserver  and  deliverer,  who  had 
snatched  me  from  the  very  jaws  of  death ! 
/  was  now  safe  on  shore;  but  the  condition 
of  my  unfortunate  companions,  was  far  dif- 
ferent. They  had  still  hold  of  the  canoe  in 
the  middle  of  the  river,  and  by  struggling 
were  just  able  to  keep  themselves  from  sink- 
ing. We  had  no  other  craft,  with  which  to 
go  upon  the  water,  nor  could  any  of  our 
people  swim,  who  were  standing  on  the  shore, 
the  melancholy  spectators  of  this  scene  of 
distress.  I  therefore  took  off  my  clothes, 
and  threw  myself,  a  second  time,  into  the 
water,  in  order,  if  possible,  to  afford  some 
aid  to  my  companions.  When  I  had  reached 
the  place  where  they  were,  I  directed  the  boy, 
io  take  hold  of  the  hair  of  my  head,  and  I 
took  him  to  a  staddle,  at  no  great  distance, 
and  directed  him  to  lay  fast  hold  of  it,  by 
which  means  he  would  be  able  to  keep  the 
greater  part  of  his  body  above  water.  I  then 
returned  to  the  canoe,  and  took  Collin  to  a 
similar  place.  Mr.  Goedike  had  alone  pro- 
ceeded to  a  small  staddle,  and  would  have 
reached  the  shore,  had  not  the  cramp  seized 
him  in  one  of  his  legs.  I  next  tried  to  take 
7 


98  HARMON'S  JOURNAL. 

the  canoe  ashore,  but  could  not  alone  effect 
it.  I  therefore,  swam  to  the  opposite  shore, 
caught  a  horse  and  mounted  him,  and  made 
him  swim  to  the  canoe,  at  one  end  of  which 
I  tied  a  cord,  and  taking  the  other  end  in 
my  teeth  and  hands,  after  drifting  a  con- 
siderable distance,  I  reached  the  land.  After 
repairing  the  canoe  a  little,  I  proceeded  to 
my  three  wretched  fellow  creatures,  who  had, 
by  this  time,  become  nearly  lifeless,  having 
been  in  the  water  at  least  two  hours.  By 
the  aid  of  a  kind  Providence,  however,  they 
at  last  safely  reached  the  shore;  and  so 
deeply  were  they  affected  with  their  unex- 
pected escape,  that  they  prostrated  them- 
selves to  the  earth,  in  an  act  of  thanksgiv- 
ing, to  their  great  and  merciful  Dehverer. 

Sunday,  July  1.  We  now  begin  to  have 
strawberries,  and  the  prospect  is,  that  they 
will  be  abundant. 

Tuesday,  17.  On  the  8th  instant,  some 
Indians  ran  away  with  three  of  our  horses; 
and  on  the  following  morning,  Mr.  Goedike 
and  myself  mounted  two  others,  to  pursue 
the  thieves.  We  followed  them  for  two  days, 
and  then,  ascertaming  that  they  were  so  far 
in  advance  of  us,  and  travelled  so  fast,  that 
it  would  be  impossible  to  overtake  them, 
before  they  would  reach  their  camp,  which  is 
six  or  seven  days'  march  from  this,  we  ceased 
following  them.  We  directed  our  course  an- 
other way,  for  the  purpose  of  finding  buf- 
faloe,    but    without    success.     We,    however. 


HARMON'S  JOURNAL.  99 

killed  as  many  fowls,  in  the  small  lakes,  as 
we  needed  for  dail}'  consumption;  and  this 
evening  returned  to  the  fort,  having  had  on 
the  whole  a  pleasant  ride. 

We  have  had  a  frost,  so  hard,  that  it  has 
injured  many  things  in  our  garden. 

Wedneschij,  25.  An  Indian  has  arrived 
here  with  six  horses,  who  states,  that  he 
came  directly  from  the  territory  of  the  Black 
feet  Indians.  He  brings  the  intelligence,  that 
this  tribe  have  concluded  a  peace  with  the 
Crees  and  Assiniboins;  and  that  forty  tents 
of  the  latter  tribes,  who  went  into  that 
quarter,  two  years  since,  are  on  their  way 
home,  and  will  reach  this  place  before  the 
commencement  of  winter. 

Saturday,  September  1.  This  afternoon, 
Mr.  FergTison  and  company  arrived,  from 
fort  Dauphin,  bringing  the  intelligence,  that 
all  the  Indians  who  are  accustomed  to  re- 
main in  that  vicinity,  have  now  gone  to  the 
Great  Winipick  lake. 

Thursday,  October  4.  This  afternoon, 
Mr.  Francis  la  Rocque  arrived,  from  Mon- 
tague a  la  Basse,  which  lies  about  five  days' 
march  from  this,  down  the  river.  He  brought 
me  letters  from  several  gentlemen  in  this 
country,  one  of  w^hich  is  from  Mr.  Charles 
Chaboillez,  who  informs  me  that  this  place 
will  be  supplied  with  goods,  this  season,  by 
the  way  of  the  Red  River,  of  which  depart- 
ment he  has  the  superintendence.  As  I  am 
to   pass   the  winter  here,  he  desires  me  to 


100  HARMON'S  JOURNAL. 

accompany  Mr.  La  Rocque,  down  to  Mon- 
tagne  a  la  Basse,  and  receive  such  goods  as 
will  be  necessary  for  the  Indians  at  this  post. 
Friday,  26.  Agreeably  to  the  instructions 
of  Mr.  Chaboillez,  in  company  with  Mr.  La 
Rocque,  and  an  Indian,  who  served  as  guide, 
I  set  out  en  the  6th  instant,  for  Montague 
a  la  E^-Sse.  Our  course  was  nearly  south, 
over  a  plain  country;  and  on  the  9th.  we 
reached  Riviere  qui  Apelle,  where  the  North 
West  and  X.  Y.  companies  have  each  a  fort, 
where  we  tarried  all  night,  with  Monsieur 
Poitras,  who  has  charge  of  that  post.  The 
next  morning,  we  continued  our  march,  which 
was  always  in  beautiful  plains,  until  the 
11th,  when  we  arrived  at  the  place  of  our 
destination.  There  I  found  Mr.  Chaboillez, 
C.  McKenzie,  &c.  The  fort  is  well  built,  and 
beautifully  situated,  on  a  very  high  bank 
of  the  Red  River,  and  overlooks  the  country 
round  to  a  great  extent,  which  is  a  perfect 
plain.  There  can  be  seen,  at  almost  all 
seasons  of  the  year,  from  the  fort  gate,  as  I 
am  informed,  buffaloes  grazing,  or  antelopes 
bounding  over  the  extensive  plains,  which 
cannot  fail  to  render  the  situation  highly 
pleasant.  I  spent  my  time  there  very  pleas- 
antly, during  eight  days,  in  company  with 
the  gentlemen  above  mentioned.  At  times, 
we  would  mount  our  horses,  and  ride  out 
into  the  plains,  and  frequently  try  the  speed 
of  our  beasts.  On  the  19th,  I  left  that  en- 
chanting abode,  in   company   with   Messrs. 


HARMON'S  JOURNAL,  101 

Chaboillez,  McKenzie,  &c.,  and  the  day  fol- 
lowing:, arrived  at  Riviere  qui  Apelle,  where 
we  found  the  people,  waiting  our  arrival. 
They  came  here  by  water ;  but  at  this  season, 
canoes  go  up  no  further,  on  account  of  the 
shallowness  of  the  river.  The  goods  intended 
for  Alexandria,  therefore,  must  be  taken 
from  this  on  horse  back.  Accordingly,  we 
delivered  out  to  the  people  such  articles  as 
we  thought  necessary,  and  sent  them  off; 
and  the  day  following,  Mr.  Chaboillez  re- 
turned to  Montagne  a  la  Basse,  and  Mr. 
McKenzie  and  myselfproceeded  to  Alexandria, 
where  we  arrived  this  afternoon,  after  hav- 
ing made  a  pleasant  jaunt  of  twenty  one 
days. 

Here  I  shall  pass  the  winter,  having  with 
me  Mr.  Goedike,  two  interpreters,  twenty 
labouring  men,  fourteen  women  and  sixteen 
children. 

Saturday,  November  24.  Some  people 
have  just  arrived  from  Montagne  a  la  Basse, 
with  a  letter  from  Mr.  Chaboillez,  who  in- 
forms me,  that  two  Captains,  Clarke  and 
Lewis,  with  one  hundred  and  eighty  soldiers, 
have  arrived  at  the  Mandan  Village  on  the 
Missouri  River,  which  place  is  situated  about 
three  days'  march  distant  from  the  residence 
of  Mr.  Chaboillez.  They  have  invited  Mr. 
Chaboillez  to  visit  them.  It  is  said,  that 
on  their  arrival,  they  hoisted  the  American 
flag,  and  informed  the  Natives  that  their 
object  was  not  to  trade,  but  merely  to  ex- 


102  HARMON'S  JOURNAL. 

plore  the  country;  and  that  as  soon  as  the 
navigation  shall  open,  they  design  to  con- 
tinue their  route  across  the  Rocky  Mountain, 
and  thence  descend  to  the  Pacific  Ocean. 
They  made  the  Natives  a  few  small  presents, 
and  repaired  their  guns,  axes,  &c.,  gratis. 
jMt.  Chaboillez  writes,  that  they  behave  hon- 
ourably toward  his  people,  who  are  there 
to  trade  with  the  Natives. 

Tuesday,  January  21,  1805.  For  nearly 
a  month,  we  have  subsisted  on  little  besides 
potatoes;  but  thanks  to  a  kind  Providence, 
the  last  night,  two  of  my  men  returned 
from  the  plains,  with  their  sledges  loaded 
with  the  flesh  of  the  buffaloe.  They  bring 
us  the  pleasing  intelhgence,  that  there  is 
a  plenty  of  these  animals  within  a  day's 
march  of  us.  This  supply  of  provisions  could 
not  have  come  more  opportunely,  for  our 
potatoes  are  almost  gone. 

About  a  month  since,  I  sent  Mr.  Goedike, 
accompanied  by  ten  men,  out  into  the  plains, 
in  hopes  that  they  might  fall  in  with  the 
Natives,  who  would  be  able  to  furnish  us 
with  food ;  but  we  have  heard  nothing  from 
them,  and  I  cannot  conjecture  what  should 
have  detained  them  so  long,  as  I  did  not 
expect  "that  they  would  be  absent,  for  more 
than  ten  days,  from  the  fort. 

Thursday,  February  7.  At  the  most  of 
the  forts  in  the  Swan  River  department, 
they  have  not  a  sufficiency  of  provisions; 
and   they   have   therefore,  sent  the  greater 


HAEMON'S  JOURNAL.  103 

number  of  their  people,  to  pass  the  remainder 
of  the  winter  here.  We  now  have  buffaloe 
in  abundance,  though  our  family  consists 
of  upwards  of  seventy  persons,  who  consume, 
at  least,  four  hundred  and  fifty  pounds, 
daily. 

Thursday,  19.  On  the  8th  inst.  two  men 
arrived  from  Montague  a  la  Basse,  with  a 
packet  of  letters,  informing  me,  that  a  coali- 
tion took  place,  the  last  autumn  at  Montreal, 
between  the  North  West  and  the  X.  Y.  com- 
panies, which  letters  I  have  forwarded  to 
Fort  des  Prairies. 

On  the  16th  inst.  I  left  this,  in  a  cariol, 
drawn  by  a  horse,  to  visit  a  place,  about 
two  days'  march  from  this,  into  the  plains, 
where  a  number  of  our  people  have  passed  a 
greater  part  of  the  winter ;  and  in  the  course 
of  this  pleasant  ride,  I  saw  thousands  of 
buffaloes. 

Saturday,  March  2.  People  arrived  from 
Fort  des  Prairies,  with  letters  from  that 
place,  the  English  Kiver,  and  Athabasca. — 
Yesterday,  swans  passed  this  place,  on  their 
way  to  the  northward. 

Monday,  18.  A  band  of  Crees  and  Assini- 
boins  came  in,  a  few  days  since,  consisting 
of  more  than  a  hundred  persons.  As  they 
brought  a  considerable  quantity  of  fur8 
and  provisions,  they  were  able  to  purchase 
a  large  supply  of  spirits  for  several  days, 
and  of  course  continued  drinking,  until  their 
means  were  exhausted.    During  this  period, 


104  HARMON'S  JOURNAL. 

one  of  the  Assiniboins  stabbed  one  of  the 
Crees.  The  wound,  however,  is  not  thought 
to  be  mortal.  The  injury  has  been  atoned 
for,  therefore,  by  a  horse,  presented  by  the 
aggressor,  to  the  wounded  Indian ;  and  now, 
they  appear  to  be  as  great  friends,  as  they 
were  before  the  quarrel  took  place. 

It  is  a  common  thing  among  all  the  Na- 
tives, for  an  offender  to  offer  property  in 
satisfaction  for  an  injury;  and  when  this  is 
accepted  by  the  injured  party,  contention 
between  them  entirely  ceases.  Even  murder 
is,  sometimes,  in  this  way,  atoned  for;  but 
not  commonly.  In  ordinary  cases,  nothing 
but  the  death  of  the  murderer,  or  of  some 
of  his  near  relations,  will  satisfy  the  desire 
of  revenge  in  an  Indian,  whose  relative  has 
been  murdered. 

Wednesday,  April  10.  On  the  24th  ult. 
I  set  out  on  horse  back,  accompanied  by  one 
man,  for  Montague  a  la  Basse.  When  we 
arrived  there,  we  were  not  a  little  surprised 
to  find  the  fort  gates  shut,  and  about  eighty 
tents  of  Crees  and  Assiniboins  encamped  in 
a  hostile  manner,  around  it,  and  threatening 
to  massacre  all  the  white  people  in  it.  They, 
in  a  menacing  manner,  threw  balls  over  the 
palisades,  and  told  our  people  to  gather 
them  up,  declaring  that  they  would  proba- 
bly have  use  for  them  in  the  course  of  a 
few  days.  After  having  passed  several  days 
there,  I  set  out  to  return  home.  Just  as  I 
had  gotten  out  of  the  fort  gate,  three  vil- 


HAKMON'S  JOURNAL.  105 

lainous  Indiana  approached  me,  and  one 
of  them  seized  my  horse  by  the  bridle  and 
stopped  him,  saying,  that  the  beast  belonged 
to  him,  and  that  he  would  take  him  from 
me.  I  told  him  that  he  had  disposed  of 
him  to  Mr.  Chaboillez,  who  had  charge  of 
the  post ;  and  that  of  this  gentleman,  I  had 
purchased  him,  and  that  I  had  no  concern 
with  the  matter,  which  was  wholly  between 
him  and  Mr.  Chaboillez.  Perceiving,  however, 
that  he  was  determined  not  to  let  go  of 
the  bridle,  I  gave  him  a  smart  blow  on  his 
hand,  with  the  butt  end  of  my  whip,  which 
consisted  of  a  deer's  horn,  and  instantly 
striking  my  horse,  I  caused  him  to  spring 
forward,  and  leave  the  Indian  behind.  Find- 
ing myself  thus  clear  of  this  fellow,  I  con- 
tinued my  rout ;  but  he  with  one  of  his  com- 
panions, followed  us  nearly  half  of  the  day, 
if  not  longer.  After  this  length  of  time  we 
saw  no  more  of  them.  Apprehensive,  how- 
ever, that  they  might  fall  upon  us  in  our 
encampment  at  night,  and  steal  our  horses, 
and  probably  massacre  us,  after  it  became 
dark,  we  went  a  little  out  of  the  path,  and 
laid  ourselves  down ;  but  we  dared  not  make 
a  fire,  lest  the  light  or  the  smoke  should 
discover  the  place  where  we  were. 

On  my  return.  I  passed  four  days  agree- 
ably, at  Riviere  qui  Apelle,  in  the  company 
of  a  number  of  gentlemen,  whom  I  found 
there.  On  leaving  that  place,  I  was  obliged 
to  cross  the  river,  and  at  this  late  season. 


106  HARMON'S  JOURNAL. 

the  ice  was  bad.  My  horse,  while  I  was  on 
him,  fell  through  the  ice  twice,  and  the  last 
time,  I  came  very  near  passing-  under  it; 
but  a  kind  Providence  once  more,  granted 
me  deliverance. 

While  at  Montague  a  la  Basse,  Mr.  Cha- 
boillez,  induced  me  to  consent  to  undertake 
a  long  and  arduous  tour  of  discovery.  I  am 
to  leave  that  place,  about  the  beginning  of 
June,  accompanied  by  six  or  seven  Cana- 
dians, and  by  two  or  three  Indians.  The  first 
place,  at  which  we  shall  stop,  will  be  the 
Mandan  Village,  on  the  Missouri  River. 
Thence,  we  shall  steer  our  course  towards 
the  Rocky  Mountain,  accompanied  by  a  num- 
ber of  the  Mandan  Indians,  who  proceed  in 
that  direction  every  spring,  to  meet  and 
trade  with  another  tribe  of  Indians,  who 
reside  on  the  other  side  of  the  Rocky  Moun- 
tain. It  is  expected  that  we  shall  return  from 
our  excursion,  in  the  month  of  November  next. 

[This  journey,  I  never  undertook;  for 
soon  after  the  plan  of  it  was  settled,  my 
health  became  so  much  impaired,  that  I 
was  under  the  necessity  of  proceeding  to 
Head  Quarters,  to  procure  medical  assistance. 
A  Mr.  La  Rocque  attempted  to  make  this 
tour ;  but  went  no  farther  than  the  Mandan 
Tillage.] 

Thursday,  18.  We  are  packing  our  furs, 
in  order  to  send  them  to  the  general  ren- 
dezvous ;  and  a  few  days  hence,  I  shall  aban- 
don this  fort,  and  the  Indians  in  this  vicinity 


HARMONS  JOURNAL.  lOT 

"will  0:0  either  into  the  region  of  Riviere 
qui  Apelle,  or  up  the  Sisiscatchwin  River, 
near  Fort  des  Prairies. 

Sunday,  May  5.  We  are  now  about  three 
leagues  below  Alexandria,  which  place  we 
abandoned  on  the  28th  ult.  All  our  prop- 
erty is  on  board  of  boats;  but  some  of 
us  travel  horse-back.  As  it  has  not  rained 
since  the  last  Autumn,  the  water  in  the  river 
is  uncommonly  low,  on  account  of  which, 
our  boats  make  but  poor  progress.  As  we 
have  a  pit  saw  with  us,  I  have  directed 
some  of  my  people  to  go  into  the  woods, 
and  saw  a  sufficient  quantity  of  boards,  to 
construct  another  boat,  by  means  of  which, 
we  may  reduce  the  loading,  in  those  that 
we  now  possess. 

Wednesday,  8.  Riviere  qui  Apelle.  On  the 
6th  Mr.  Goedike  and  several  other  persons 
with  myself,  left  our  boats,  and  proceeded 
on  horse-back.  As  the  fire  has  passed  over 
the  plains,  this  spring,  it  was  with  difficulty 
that  we  could  find  grass,  sufficient  for  the 
subsistence  of  our  horses. 

Monday,  20.  Montague  a  la  Basse.  Here 
I  have  been  waiting  ever  since  the  loth  for 
the  arrival  of  our  boats.  They  arrived  thia 
afternoon. 

Monday,  27.  Riviere  a  la  Souris,  or  Mouse 
River.  This  is  about  fifty  miles  from  Mon- 
tague a  la  Basse.  Here  are  three  estab- 
lishments, formed  severally  by  the  North 
West,  X.  Y.  and  Hudson  Bay  companies. 


108  HARMON'S  JOURNAL. 

Last  evening,  Mr.  Chaboillez  invited  the 
people  of  the  other  two  forts  to  a  dance ;  and 
we  had  a  real  North  West  country  ball. 
When  three  fourths  of  the  people  had  drunk 
80  much,  as  to  be  incapable  of  walking 
Btraightly,  the  other  fourth  thought  it  time 
to  put  an  end  to  the  ball,  or  rather  bawl. 
This  morning,  we  were  invited  to  breakfast 
at  the  Hudson  Bay  House,  with  a  Mr.  Mc- 
Kay, and  in  the  evening  to  a  dance.  This, 
however,  ended  more  decently,  than  the  one 
of  the  preceding  evening. 

It  is  now  more  than  fifty  years,  since  a 
French  missionary  left  this  place.  He  had, 
as  I  am  informed,  resided  here,  during  a 
number  of  years,  for  the  purpose  of  instruct- 
ing the  Natives  in  the  Christian  religion. 
He  taught  them  some  short  prayers,  in 
the  French  language,  the  whole  of  which 
Bome  of  them  have  not  yet  forgotten. 

The  surrounding  country  consists  chiefly 
of  plains;  and  the  soil  appears  to  be  richer, 
than  that  which  is  farther  up  the  river. 

Tuesday,  30.  In  the  morning,  I  left  Mouse 
Kiver ;  and  I  have  with  me  upwards  of  forty 
men,  in  five  boats  and  seven  canoes. 

Saturday,  June  1.  We  are  now  a  little 
below  what  was  called  the  Pine  Fort.  It 
is  twenty  years  since  this  fort  was  built, 
and  eleven  since  it  was  abandoned.  This 
River  is  now  so  low,  arising  from  the  fact 
that  we  have  had  no  rain  this  spring,  and 
we  have  such  a  number  of  boats  and  canoes, 


HARMON'S  JOURNAL.  109 

that  we  drive  the  sturgeon  upon  the  sand 
banks,  where  there  is  but  httle  water ;  and  we 
have  no  difficulty  in  killing  any  number  of 
them,  that  we  please.  We  now  subsist  entirely 
on  these  fish;  and  they  are  excellent  food. 

ThurscL\v,  13.  Portage  la  Prairie,  or 
Plain  Portage.  Here  the  North  West  com- 
pany have  a  miserable  fort,  the  local  situa- 
tion of  which,  is  beautiful,  beyond  any  thing 
that  I  have  seen  in  this  part  of  the  world. 
Opposite  the  fort,  there  is  a  plain,  which  is 
about  sixty  miles  long,  and  from  one  to 
ten  broad,  in  the  whole  extent  of  which,  not 
the  least  rise  of  ground  is  visible.— To  this 
place,  the  Natives  resort  every  spring,  to 
take  and  dry  sturgeon. 

Saturday,  15.  We  are  now  encamped  un- 
der a  beautiful  range  of  oaks,  which  sepa- 
rate the  river  from  a  pretty  extensive  plain. 
Ever  since  we  left  Mouse  River,  the  soil  on 
each  side  of  the  Upper  Red  River,  dowm  which 
we  are  passing,  appears  to  be  excellent,  and 
the  timber  is  very  different  from  what  it  is 
near  its  source.  We  here  find  oak,  elm,  wal- 
nut, basswood,  &c.  and  I  am  informed  that 
there  are  grapes  and  plums  in  this  vicinity. 

Tuesday,  18.  Not  far  from  the  place 
where  we  are  now  encamped,  there  is  a  con- 
siderably large  camp  of  Sauteux.  Among 
them  I  saw  another  of  my  unfortunate  coun- 
trymen, who,  like  one  of  whom  I  have 
already  spoken,  was  taken  from  his  parents, 
when    a    child.     Thus,    has    many    a    fond 


110  HARMON'S  JOURNAL. 

mother,  in  the  frontier  settlements,  been  de- 
prived of  her  beloved  and  tender  offspring, — 
but  this  fellow  is  lost,  beyond  recovery, 
for  he  now  speaks  no  other  language,  but 
that  of  the  Indians,  among  whom  he  re- 
sides, and  he  has  adopted  all  their  manners 
and  customs;  and  it  would  now  be  as 
difficult  to  reconcile  him  to  the  habits  of 
civilized  life,  as  it  w^ould  be,  were  he  a  real 
Indian. 

Yfednesdaj,  19.  The  Forks.  At  this  place 
the  Upper  and  Lower  Red  Rivers,  form  a 
junction.  The  country  around  is  pleasant, 
the  soil  appears  to  be  excellent,  and  it  is 
tolerably  well  timbered  with  oak,  basswood, 
walnut,  elm,  poplar,  aspin,  birch,  &c.  Grape 
vines  and  plum  trees  are  also  seen. 

Friday,  21.  We  are  now  encamped  at 
the  place,  where  the  Red  River  enters  the 
Oreat  Winipick  Lake.  It  is  now  nearly  five 
years  since  I  passed  this  place,  which,  at 
first  thought,  seems  but  a  moment.  But 
when  I  deliberately  recollect  the  scenes 
through  which  I  have  passed,  during  that 
space  of  time,  it  seems  as  if  I  had  passed 
the  greater  part  of  my  days  in  this 
country. 

Monday,  24.  We  are  now  at  the  entrance 
of  Winipick  River,  into  the  Lake  of  the  same 
name.  We,  here,  find  a  number  of  people, 
who  are  from  their  respective  winter  quar- 
ters, and  who,  like  ourselves,  are  on  their 
way  to  the  New  Fort. 


HARMON'S  JOURNAL.  Ill 

Friday,  July  5.  Rainy  Lake.  On  the 
margin  of  the  waters,  which  connect  this 
lake  with  the  Great  Winipick  Lake,  the  wild 
rice  is  found,  of  which  I  have  spoken  on  a 
former  occasion.  This  useful  grain  is  pro- 
duced in  no  other  part  of  the  North  West 
Country ;  though  Carver  erroneously  states, 
that  it  is  found  every  where.  It  grows  in 
water,  about  two  feet  deep,  where  there  is 
a  rich  muddy  bottom.  It  rises  more  thaa 
eight  feet  above  the  water;  and,  in  appear- 
ance bears  a  considerable  resemblance  to  oats. 
It  is  gathered  about  the  latter  end  of  Sep- 
tember, in  the  following  manner.  The  Natives 
pass  in  among  it  in  canoes.  Each  canoe 
has  in  it  two  persons,  one  of  whom  is  in 
each  end,  with  a  long  hooked  stick,  in  one 
hand,  and  a  straight  one  in  the  other.  With 
the  hooked  stick,  he  brings  the  heads  of  the 
grain  over  the  canoe,  and  holds  it  there; 
while,  with  the  other,  he  beats  it  out.  When 
the  canoe  is  thus  sufficiently  loaded,  it  is 
taken  to  the  shore  and  emptied.  This  mode 
of  gathering  the  wild  rice,  is  evidently  more 
simple  and  convenient,  than  that  which  was 
practised  in  Carver's  day.  This  grain  is 
gathered  in  such  quantities,  in  this  region, 
that  in  ordinary  seasons,  the  North  West 
Company  purchase,  annually,  from  twelve 
to  fifteen  hundred  bushels  of  it,  from  the 
Natives;  and  it  constitutes  a  principal  arti- 
cle of  food,  at  the  posts  in  this  vicinity. 

I  have  here  received  letters  from  my  friend® 


112  HARMON'S  JOURNAL. 

in  Vermont,  which  left  them  in  April  last; 
and  which  have,  as  usual,  afforded  me  much 
satisfaction. 

Saturday,  6.  Rainy  Lake.  We  are  about 
ten  miles  from  the  fort,  on  this  lake;  and 
have  been  encamped,  during  the  greater 
part  of  the  day,  in  order  that  our  people 
may  repair  their  canoes;  for  they  will  soon 
be  obliged  to  transport  them  over  a  number 
of  long  portages. 

Monday,  8.  Cross  Lake.  Here  we  meet 
several  canoes  which,  about  the  beginning  of 
May  last,  left  Montreal,  that  have  goods 
on  board,  which  will  be  carried  in  them  to 
the  Rainy  Lake  fort,  and  will  thence  be 
transported  to  Athabasca. — At  this  lake, 
we  leave  the  route  which  leads  to  the  old 
Grand  Portage. 

Tuesday,  9.  During  the  whole  of  this 
day,  we  have  been  crossing  small  lakes,  and 
coming  down  what  deserve  the  name  of 
brooks,  rather  than  rivers. — We  have  met 
eight  canoes,  on  their  way  to  the  Rainy 
Lake. 

Friday,  12.  The  Plain  Portage.  In  the 
former  part  of  the  day,  we  met,  A.  N.  Mc- 
Leod,  Esq.  who  is  now  from  the  New  Fort,  on 
his  way  back  to  Athabasca.  We  went  on 
shore,  and  took  breakfast  with  him.  He 
has  taken  with  him  ray  friend  Mr.  F.  Goe- 
dike,  a  young  man  possessed  of  a  good 
understanding,  and  a  humane  and  generous 
heart,  who  has  been  with  me  for  four  years 


HARMON'S  JOURNAL.  113 

past,  and  from  whom  I  could  not  separate, 
without  regret. 

Saturday,  July  13.  Overtook  the  Swan 
Eiver  people,  and  entered  Nipignon  Eiver, 
which  is  nearly  ten  rods  broad.  This  and 
Dog's  river,  excepting  a  few  carrying  places, 
on  account  of  rapids  and  falls,  will  carry  us 
to  the  New  Fort.  The  land  in  this  vicinity 
is  low,  and  in  many  places,  it  is  swampy. 
There  are  few  animals  in  this  region,  ex- 
cepting moose,  bears,  and  a  few  beavers 
and  martins.  This  is  the  rout,  by  which 
the  French,  in  former  times,  passed  into 
the  interiour.  The  Indians  in  this  quarter, 
are  a  few  Sauteux  and  Muscagoes.  The  lat- 
ter, come  from  towards  Hudson's  Bay. 

Sunday,  14.  Dog's  Portage,  which  is 
about  three  miles  over.  After  coming  down 
Nipignon  River,  which  is  nearly  fifty  miles 
long,  we  entered  the  Dog's  Lake,  which  may 
be  about  forty  miles  in  circumference,  and 
by  crossing  which,  we  arrived  at  this  place. 

Monday,  15.  The  Mountain  Portage. 
Here  the  water  falls  perpendicularly,  about 
seventy  feet.  The  North  West  company  have 
here  a  store  house,  to  which  they  send  pro- 
visions, (fee,  from  the  New  Fort,  as  the  river 
from  this  to  that  place  is  generally  shallow, 
and  is  full  of  rapids.  Those,  therefore,  who 
are  going  into  the  interiour,  cannot  take  a 
full  load,  until  they  arrive  at  this  place ;  and 
here  they  usually  take  their  supply  of  pro- 
visions. 
8 


114  HARMON'S  JOURNAL. 

Tuesday,  16.  Xew  Fort,  or,  as  it  is  called 
by  the  Natives,  Ka-mi-ni-ti-qui-a,  is  built  on 
the  bank  of  Dog  River,  which  is  a  consider- 
able stream,  that  empties  into  Lake  Supe- 
riour,  about  four  or  five  hundred  rods  below 
the  fort.  The  vessel  that  runs  on  that  lake, 
can  come,  with  a  part  of  her  lading,  quite 
up  to  the  quay,  before  the  fort.  Here  the 
French,  before  the  English  conquered  Canada, 
had  an  establishment. 

We  here  meet  a  number  of  gentlemen,  some 
of  whom  came  this  summer  from  Montreal, 
and  others  from  different  parts  of  the  In- 
teriour.  There  are  also  here,  one  thousand 
labouring  men,  the  greater  part  of  whom,  are 
Canadians,  who  answer  better  in  this  coun- 
try, for  the  service  required  by  the  Company, 
than  any  other  people  would  probably  do. 

The  country,  for  some  considerable  dis- 
tance round,  is  covered  with  heavy  timber^ 
consisting  of  a  kind  of  red  pine,  poplar, 
aspin,  birch,  cedar,  &c.,  but  the  soil  does  not 
appear  to  be  of  the  first  quality.  Potatoes, 
pease,  oats,  &c.,  however,  grow  tolerably 
well  here. 

Monday,  22.  I  have  passed  several  days, 
not  unpleasantly,  in  the  company  of  a  num- 
ber of  young  gentlemen.  They  now  begin, 
however,  to  leave  this,  to  return  to  their 
winter  quarters ;  and  to-morrow,  I  expect  to 
depart,  and  to  proceed  for  Fort  des  Prairies. 
As  there  will  be  two  other  young  gentlemen 
in   the  same  brigade,   whom  I  know  to  be 


HARMON'S  JOURNAL.  115 

sociable  and  pleasant  companions,  I  expect 
to  have  a  pleasant  passage  to  my  winter 
quarters. 

Wednesday,  August  28.  During  nearly  a 
month  past  we  have  been  coming  through  a 
country,  which  I  have  already  described.  We 
are  now  at  the  Grand  Rapid,  where  the 
Sisiscatchwin  River  disembogues  into  the 
north  west  part  of  Great  Lake  Winipick. 
This  is  a  noble  stream,  about  two  hundred 
fathoms  broad. 

Thursday,  September  5.  Cumberland 
House.  This  fort  stands  on  the  north  side  of 
a  considerable  lake,  called  by  the  Natives, 
who  in  this  vicinity  are  Muscagoes,  Sturgeon 
Lake.  The  sturgeon  are  found  in  consider- 
able plenty,  in  this  lake.  This  post  was  es- 
tablished, thirty  three  years  since,  by  Mr. 
Joseph  Frobisher.  At  this  place,  the  people 
who  are  destined  to  Fort  des  Prairies,  and 
those  who  are  proceeding  to  Athabasca,  sep- 
arate. The  former  go  up  the  Sisiscatchwin 
River,  and  the  latter  up  the  English  River 
The  latter,  is  so  called,  in  honour  of  Mr. 
Joseph  Frobisher,  an  Englishman,  who  was 
the  first  trader  that  ever  went  into  that  part 
of  the  country. — On  the  30th  ultimo,  we 
crossed  Lac  Bourbon,  which  is  about  forty 
miles  long,  on  which  the  North  West  Com- 
pany had  a  fort,  formerly ;  but  it  was  aban- 
doned, in  1802.  There  are  few  mountains  or 
hills  to  be  seen,  between  this  place  and  Lake 
Winipick.    The  country  has  a  pretty  heavy 


116  HARMON'S  JOURNAL. 

growth  of  timber,  and  the  soil  is  rich.  In  the 
lakes  and  rivers  of  this  region,  excellent  fish 
are  taken,  such  as  sturgeon,  white-fish,  cat- 
fish, pike,  pickerel,  &c.  This  country  abounds 
in  fowls,  among  which  are  swans,  bustards, 
geese,  and  many  kinds  of  ducks.  Moose  are 
found  in  considerable  plenty ;  there  are  a  few 
black  bears,  otters,  muskrats  and  martins; 
and  rarely,  a  beaver  is  found. 

Saturday,  September  21.  South  Branch 
Fort.  This  is  about  one  hundred  and  twenty 
miles  above  the  Fork,  or  the  place  where  this 
river  forms  a  junction  with  the  North  Branch, 
after  which,  it  assumes  the  name  of  Sisis- 
catchwin  Kiver.  Both  branches  take  their 
rise  in  the  Rocky  Mountain,  though  at  a  dis- 
tance of  several  hundred  miles  from  each 
other.  The  South  Branch  passes  through 
large  plains ;  but  the  country  through  which 
the  other  runs  is  woody,  particularly  on  the 
north  side.  From  Cumberland  House  to  the 
Fork,  the  country  on  both  sides  of  the  river 
is  covered  with  wood.  In  these  woods,  and 
the  small  plains  that  are  here  and  there  scat- 
tered among  them,  moose,  red  deer,  &c.,  are 
to  be  found. 

This  fort  was  put  up  the  last  summer,  and 
two  stores  were  built ;  but  the  dwelling  houses 
are  still  to  be  constructed.— I  am  informed 
that  buffaloes  are  in  plenty  within  half  a 
day's  march  from  this.  There  are  four  tribes 
of  Indians,  who  come  to  trade  at  this  estab- 
lishment.   They  are  the  Crees,  Assiniboins, 


HARMON'S  JOURNAL.  117 

Sauteux  and  Muscagoes.    A  few  also  of  the 
Black  feet  Indians  resort  here. 

In  coming:  up  this  river,  we  saw  many 
places,  where  forts  have  stood,  some  of  which 
were  abandoned  thirty  years  since,  and  some 
at  a  later  period.  One,  which  was  situated 
about  six  miles  below  this,  was  abandoned 
fifteen  years  since,  on  account  of  an  attack 
from  the  Rapid  Indians.  The  following  cir- 
cumstances, in  regard  to  that  affair,  were 
related  to  me  by  Mons.  Louis  Chattellain, 
who,  at  that  time,  had  charge  of  the  fort. 
The  Hudson  Bay  Company  had  a  fort  in  the 
same  neighbourhood,  which  was  first  at- 
tacked, by  about  one  hundred  and  fifty 
Indians  on  horse  back;  and  the  few  people 
who  were  in  it,  excepting  one  man,  who 
secreted  himself,  were  killed.  After  they  had 
taken  out  of  the  fort  all  the  property  which 
they  could  conveniently  carry  away  with 
them,  they  set  fire  to  the  fort,  and  proceeded 
to  the  establishment  of  the  North  West  Com- 
pany, which  was  two  hundred  rods  distant 
from  that  of  Hudson  Bay  people,  with  the 
intention  of  treating  it  in  a  similar  manner. 

The  fort  gates  had  providentially,  been 
Bhut,  previously  to  the  approach  of  the  In- 
dians. There  were  in  the  fort,  three  men,  and 
several  women  and  children.  The  men  took 
their  stations  in  the  block  houses  and  bas- 
tions ;  and  when  the  Natives  had  come  suffi- 
ciently near,  fired  upon  them.  The  Indians, 
instantly  returned  the  fire;  and  the  contest 


118  HARMON'S  JOURNAL. 

continued,  until  tlie  night  approached.  The 
savage  assailants,  having  had  several  of  their 
party  killed,  and  others  severely  wounded, 
while  the  people  in  the  fort  had  sustained  no 
injury,  thought  it  best  to  retreat ;  and  after 
dragging  their  dead  and  dying  into  the  river, 
they  retired.  But  Mr.  Chattellain  did  not 
think  it  prudent  to  remain  there  any  longer. 
Accordingly,  the  day  following,  they  em- 
barked all  their  property  on  board  of  several 
canoes,  and  proceeded  down  the  river,  about 
two  hundred  miles,  where  they  commenced 
building  another  fort.  The  only  object  of 
the  Indians,  in  attacking  these  forts,  was 
plunder. 

Mr.  William  Smith  and  myself,  together 
with  fifteen  labouring  men,  &c.  are  to  pass 
the  winter  here;  and  a  few  hundred  paces 
from  us,  the  Hudson  Bay  people  have  a  fort. 

Thursday,  October  10.  This  day,  a  Cana- 
dian's daughter,  a  girl  of  about  fourteen 
years  of  age,  was  offered  to  me;  and  after 
mature  consideration,  concerning  the  step 
which  I  ought  to  take,  I  have  finally  con- 
cluded to  accept  of  her,  as  it  is  customary 
for  all  gentlemen  who  remain,  for  any  length 
of  time,  in  this  part  of  the  world,  to  have 
a  female  companion,  with  whom  they  can 
pass  their  time  more  socially  and  agreeably, 
than  to  live  a  lonely  life,  as  they  must  do,^ 
if  single.  If  we  can  live  in  harmony  together, 
my  intention  now  is,  to  keep  her  as  long 
as  I  remain  in  this  uncivilized  part  of  the 


HARMON'S  JOURNAL.  119 

world ;  and  when  I  return  to  my  native  land, 
I  shall  endeavour  to  place  her  under  the 
protection  of  some  honest  man,  with  whom 
she  can  pass  the  remainder  of  her  days  in 
this  country,  much  more  agreeablj^  than  it 
would  be  possible  for  her  to  do,  were  she  to 
be  taken  down  into  the  civilized  world,  to 
the  manners,  customs  and  language  of  which, 
she  would  be  an  entire  stranger.  Her  mother 
is  of  the  tribe  of  the  Snare  Indians,  whose 
country  lies  along  the  Rocky  Mountain.  The 
girl  is  said  to  have  a  mild  disposition  and 
an  even  temper,  which  are  qualities  very  nec- 
essary to  make  an  agreeable  woman,  and  an 
affectionate  partner. 

Thursday,  November  7.  The  river  froze 
over  the  last  night;  but  we  have  yet  had 
but  little  snow. 

Saturday,  March  15,  1806.  This  evening 
the  northern  express  arrived  ;  and  I  am  sorry 
to  learn  that  no  letters  have  come  from 
Athabasca,  this  season.  This  failure  is  owing 
to  the  great  depth  of  snow  in  that  quarter. — 
Buffaloes  have  been  found  in  plenty,  within 
a  few  miles  of  the  fort,  during  the  whole 
winter. 

Tuesday,  25.  The  snow  is  chiefly  dis- 
solved. We  have  sent  four  men,  about  a 
day's  march  from  this,  to  make  sugar. 

Saturday,  April  19.  The  greater  part  of 
our  Indians  have  gone  to  wage  war  upon 
the  Rapid  Indians,  their  inveterate  enemies, 
with  whom  they  frequently  patch  up  a  peace, 


120  HARMON'S  JOURNAL. 

which,  however,  is  generally  of  short  con- 
tinuance. 

Monday,  28.  This  afternoon,  the  ice  in 
this  river  broke  up. — A  few  days  since,  a 
small  war  party  of  the  Rapid  Indians  came 
and  killed  several  Assiniboins,  who  were  en- 
camped within  fifteen  miles  of  our  fort.  They 
also  stabbed  an  old  woman  in  several  places, 
and  scalped  her,  who,  notwithstanding,  is 
still  alive,  and,  to  appearance,  likely  to  re- 
cover of  her  wounds. 

Monday,  June  2.  Last  evening,  Messrs. 
J.  Hughes  and  Alexander  Stewart  came  here, 
on  horse  back,  from  the  North  Branch* 
which  passes  within  fifteen  miles  from  this. 
There,  they  left  their  canoes  and  people; 
and  on  their  return,  they  will  continue  their 
rout  to  the  New  Fort.— Mr.  Smith  and  my- 
self, if  providence  permit,  are  to  pass  the 
summer  at  this  place,  where  we  have  three 
interpreters,  four  labouring  men,  and  a  num- 
ber of  women  and  children.  As  my  com- 
panion is  a  sensible,  well  informed  and  so- 
ciable young  man,  I  hope  to  pass  my  time 
both  pleasantly  and  profitably. 

Friday,  August  8.  Six  Assiniboins  have 
arrived,  and  inform  us,  that  about  eighty 
tents  of  Crees  and  Assiniboins,  with  about 
as  many  of  the  Black  feet  Indians,  were  on 
their  way  to  wage  war  with  the  Rapid  In- 
dians, their  common  enemy.  But  the  two 
former  tribes  quarrelled,  in  their  march,  re- 
specting a  horse,  which  they  both  claimed, 


HARMON'S  JOURNAL.  121 

and  which  neither  would  relinquish.  This 
circumstance  occasioned  a  battle  between 
them,  which  lasted  during  a  day,  in  which 
twenty  five  of  the  Black  feet  Indians,  and 
three  of  the  Assiniboins,  were  killed.  This 
put  an  end  to  the  expedition,  for  this 
season. 

Wednesdcij',  September  3.  Two  men  have 
arrived  from  Cumberland  House,  situated 
on  Sturgeon  Lake,  who  have  brought  me 
letters  from  my  friends  below,  which  com- 
municate the  melancholy  intelligence,  that 
my  father,  after  a  severe  illness  of  but  a 
few  weeks,  expired,  on  the  25th  of  June, 
1805.  The  protector  and  guide  of  my  youth, 
whom  I  revered  and  loved,  I  shall  never 
more  see  in  this  world.  It  would  have  af- 
forded me  inexpressible  satisfaction,  could  I 
have  seen  and  conversed  with  him,  previously 
to  his  departure.  But  "the  Judge  of  the 
earth  has  done  right,"  and  "his  will  be 
done."  I  am  not  left  to  mourn,  under  this 
severe  bereavement,  without  consolation ;  for 
his  christian  character  and  profession,  afford 
the  comfortable  hope,  that  he  has  ceased  to 
sin  and  to  suffer,  and  now  participates  in 
blessedness,  such  as  this  miserable  world  can- 
not afford.  May  his  pious  example  stimu- 
late me,  and  his  other  children,  to  follow 
him  in  the  path  which  conducts  to  a  better 
world. 

I  have  also  received  letters  from  Mr.  A. 
K    McLeod,  and  Mr.  J.  McDonald,  which  in- 


122  HARMON'S  JOURNAL. 

form  me,  that  I  am  to  pass  the  ensuing 
winter  at  Cumberland  House,  for  which  place, 
I  shall  leave  this,  a  few  days  hence. 

Thursday,  September  11.  Cumberland 
House.  I  arrived  here  this  afternoon,  and 
find  Messrs.  J.  Hughes,  and  David  Thomp- 
son, &c.  who  have  just  arrived  from  the 
New  Fort,  and  who  are  on  their  way  to 
Fort  des  Prairies.  The  Hudson  Bay  people 
have  a  fort  within  a  hundred  rods  of  ours, 
in  the  charge  of  Mr.  Peter  Fidler. 

Wednesday,  17.  Sent  Mons.  Peras  and 
company,  with  a  small  assortment  of  goods, 
to  go  and  pass  the  winter  at  Moose  Lake, 
which  is  situated  about  two  days'  march 
from  this,  and  nearly  west  from  Lake  Winni- 
pick. 

The  Indians,  who  resort  to  this  estab- 
lishment, are  Sauteux  and  Muscagoes.  Moose 
and  black  bears  are  pretty  abundant  in  this 
vicinity;  and  a  few  beavers  are  found.  We 
subsist  principally  upon  sturgeon  and  white 
fish,  which  we  take  out  of  the  lake.  Geese 
and  bustards  are  numerous,  in  the  fall  and 
spring.  The  surrounding  country  is  very 
low  and  level,  so  that,  at  some  seasons, 
much  of  it  is  overflowed.  This  accounts  for 
the  periodical  influx  and  reflux  of  the  water, 
between  this  lake  and  the  Sisiscatchwin 
Eiver,  which  are  distant  six  miles. 

Friday,  October  3.  Hudson  Bay  people, 
in  three  canoes,  have  just  arrived  from  York 
Factory.    They  bring  late  news  from  Eng- 


HARMON'S  JOURNAL.  123 

land ;  and  inform  us,  that  war  continues  to 
rage  as  much  as  ever,  on  the  continent  of 
Europe. 

Friday,  24.  We  have  now  about  four 
inches  of  snow;  and,  the  last  night,  the 
greater  part  of  this  lake  froze  over. — I  have 
sent  people  to  the  other  side  of  this  lake  to 
fish  for  sturgeon,  which  will  weigh  from  ten 
to  one  hundred  pounds.  They  are  taken  in 
spread  nets,  which  is  the  manner  in  which 
we  generally  take  all  kinds  of  fish,  in  this 
country.  Some  kinds,  however,  such  as  trout, 
cat  fish  and  pike,  we  at  times  take,  by  set- 
ting hooks  and  lines. 

Friday,  January  30,  1807.  Two  of  the 
Hudson  Bay  people  arrived  from  Fort  des 
Prairies,  who  were  so  obliging  as  to  bring 
me  letters  from  several  gentlemen  in  that 
quarter.  The  greater  part  of  the  North 
West  and  Hudson  Bay  people,  live  on  ami- 
cable terms;  and  when  one  can  with  pro- 
priety render  a  service  to  the  other,  it  is 
done  with  cheerfulness. 

Sunday,  April  5.  The  ice  in  the  Sisiscatch- 
win  river,  is  broken  up ;  and  the  great  quan- 
tity of  snow  which  has  recently  been  dis- 
solved, has  caused  that  river  to  rise  so  high, 
as  to  give  another  course  to  a  small  river, 
which  generally  takes  its  water  out  of  this 
lake,  but  which  now  runs  into  it. 

Saturday,  May  23.  This  lake  is  free  from 
ice;  and  we  have  planted  potatoes,  and 
sowed  our  garden  seeds. — Geese  have  returned 


124  HARMON'S  JOURNAL. 

from  the  south,  and  we  now  have  them  In 
plenty. 

Saturday,  30.  Mr.  John  McDonald  and 
others,  in  seven  canoes,  have  just  arrived 
from  Fort  des  Prairies,  and  are  on  theK 
way  to  the  New  Fort. 

Sunday,  June  7.  Grand  Rapid.  On  the. 
Ist  inst.  Mr.  John  McDonald,  myself  and 
other  people,  in  seven  canoes  and  one  boat, 
left  Cumberland  House  and  arrived  here,  on 
the  15th,  where  we  have  ever  since  been, 
stopped  by  the  ice  in  Lake  Winnipick,  which 
is  not  yet  broken  up. — We  here  spear  as  many 
sturgeon  as  we  please,  as  they  are  going 
up  or  down  the  rapid,  which  is  about  six 
miles  in  length. 

Monday,  8.  Lake  Winnipick.  The  last 
night  there  arose  a  strong  north  west  wind, 
which  broke  up  the  ice,  and  drove  it  to  the 
north  east  part  of  the  lake.  We,  therefore, 
embarked  this  morning,  and  have  sailed  all 
day. 

Tuesday,  16.  White  River.  In  the  morn- 
ing we  left  the  fort,  at  the  entrance  of  Lake 
Winnipick  River,  and  this  afternoon,  Mr.  A. 
N.  McLeod  and  company,  from  Athabasca, 
overtook  us.  With  this  gentleman,  to  whom 
I  am  under  many  obligations,  I  am  happy 
to  spend  an  evening,  after  so  long  a  sepa- 
ration. 

Saturday,  July  4.  New  Fort.  Once  more, 
I  have  arrived  at  the  general  rendezvous, 
and  find  myself  among  my  friends  and  ac- 


HARMON'S  JOURNAL.  125 

quaintances,  from  different  parts  of  the  coun- 
try.— Here  I  have  received  letters  from  my 
friends  below,  which  inform  me  of  their  health 
and  reasonable  prosperity.  It  is  a  great 
satisfaction  thus  to  hear  from  them;  but 
this  satisfaction  would  be  greatly  increased, 
could  I  be  permitted  to  see  and  converse 
with  them.  Although  the  seven  years,  for 
which  I  was  under  an  engagement  to  the 
North  West  Company,  have  now  expired,  I 
cannot  with  the  least  degree  of  propriety,  as 
I  think,  gratify  the  ardent  desire  which  I 
have  of  seeing  my  friends,  by  going  down 
this  year.  And  when  the  happy  time  will 
come,  that  I  shall  visit  them,  God  only 
knows.  It  is  trying  to  a  person  who  has  the 
least  affection  for  his  friends,  to  be  separated 
from  them,  for  such  a  series  of  years,  in  such 
a  savage  country.  My  duty  and  happiness, 
however,  require  that  I  endeavour  to  make 
the  beet  of  my  situation.  Notwithstanding 
the  bad  examples  which  we  daily  witness,  a 
person  can  be  as  virtuous  in  this,  as  in  any 
other  part  of  the  world.  True  it  is,  if  a  per- 
son were  here  to  lead  a  really  religious  life, 
he  would  find  but  few  associates,  who  would 
directly  encourage  him  in  his  course.  But 
this  is  in  a  great  measure  true  in  every  part 
of  the  world. 

Sunday,  July  19.  This,  which  was  former- 
ly called  the  New  Fort,  is  now  named  Fort 
William,  in  honour  of  William  McGilvray, 
Esq.  the  head  agent  of  the  North  West  Com- 


126  HARMON'S  JOURNAL. 

pany.  At  the  time  of  giving  this  name,  the 
Company  made  a  present  to  their  Voyagers, 
of  a  considerable  quantity  of  spirits,  shrub, 
&c.  and  also  a  similar  present  to  the  Indians, 
encamped  about  the  fort. 

As  I  am  still  in  ill  health,  I  shall  pass  the 
winter  with  Doctor  McLaughlin,  at  Sturgeon 
Lake,  in  the  department  of  Nipigon,  which 
lies  to  the  north  west  from  this. 

Saturday,  25.  This  afternoon,  in  company 
with  three  canoes,  I  left  Fort  William;  and 
we  are  now  encamped  on  an  island,  in  Lake 
Superiour. 

Monday,  August  3.  First  long  Portage 
in  the  Nipigon  Jioad.  We  yesterday,  sepa- 
rated from  Messrs.  Chaboillez  and  Leith,  who 
have  gone  to  winter  at  the  Pic  and  Michip- 
cotton ;  and  to  day,  we  left  Lake  Superiour, 
and  have  come  up  a  small  river. 

Tuesday,  4.  South  west  end  of  Lake  Nipi- 
gon. This  lake  is  said  to  be  one  hundred 
and  fifty  miles  in  length,  and  from  one,  to 
twenty,  broad.  Trout  are  here  taken,  supe- 
riour to  those  that  are  found  in  any  other 
part  of  the  North  West  country,  which  will 
weigh  upwards  of  seventy  pounds,  and  are 
of  an  excellent  quality.— The  country  through 
which  we  have  passed  in  coming  to  this  place 
from  Lake  Superiour,  is  rocky  and  contains 
but  little  wood,  of  any  kind.  Whortleberries 
are  found  in  plenty. 

Friday,  7.  Fort  Duncan,  at  the  north  end 
of  Lake  Nipigon.    The  surrounding  country 


HARMOxN'S  JOURNAL.  127 

is  very  rough ;  but  where  the  ground  is  arable 
the  soil  appears  to  be  good. — Moose  and 
carriboo  are  found  in  this  vicinity ;  and  there 
are,  also,  a  few  black  bears,  beavers,  otters, 
muskrats,  martins,  &c.  Great  numbers  of 
white  fish  are  taken  out  of  the  lake,  par- 
ticularly in  the  fall  of  the  year.  These  are 
hung  up  by  their  tails,  in  the  open  air,  and 
are  preserved  good,  in  a  frozen  state,  during 
the  winter.  Most  people  prefer  those  that 
have  been  thus  kept,  to  fish  that  are  taken 
immediately  out  of  the  water. 

Sunday,  9.  In  the  morning,  we  sent  off 
three  canoes,  and  in  the  after  part  of  the 
day,  some  of  the  people  returned,  with  the 
melancholy  intelligence,  that  one  of  their 
companions  was  drowned,  in  going  up  a 
small  rapid.  The  canoe  overset,  and  most 
of  the  property  on  board,  was  lost.  The 
other  persons,  who  were  in  it,  saved  them- 
selves by  swimming  to  the  shore. 

Thursday,  13.  In  the  morning,  Mr.  Hol- 
dane,  the  Doctor  and  myself,  with  our  com- 
pany, left  fort  Duncan,  where  Mr.  R.  Mc- 
Kenzie  will  pass  the  ensuing  winter.  There, 
also,  we  separated  from  two  Messrs.  Camer- 
ons,  whose  route  is  northward,  towards  Hud- 
son's Bay.    Our  course  is  nearly  south  west. 

Monday,  24.  Portage  du  Fort,  or  Stur- 
geon Lake.  Here,  we  arrived,  yesterday ;  and 
this  morning,  Mr.  Holdane  and  his  com- 
pany left  us,  to  continue  their  route  to  Red 
Lake.    The  Doctor  and  I,  with  our  company, 


128  HAKMON'S  JOURNAL. 

shall  leave  this  tomorrow,  to  go  and  build 
at  the  other  end  of  this  lake,  which  may  be 
about  forty  miles  long,  and  from  one  to  five 
broad.— The  country  through  which  we  have 
passed,  since  we  left  Fort  Duncan,  is  low  and 
level;  no  mountains,  or  even  hills,  are  to 
be  seen;  in  many  places  it  is  swampy,  and 
small  lakes  and  ponds  and  rivers  and  brooks 
are  numerous.  Where  the  land  is  dry,  the 
soil  appears  to  be  principally  a  black  loam, — 
This  tract  of  country  was  formerly  well 
stocked  with  beavers  and  otters;  but  they 
have  now  become  scarce,  as  they  have  been 
hunted  by  the  Natives,  during  more  than  the 
last  hundred  years.  Moose  and  carriboo  are 
still  considerably  numerous,  in  this  region. 

Tuesday,  September  1.  Our  people  are 
erecting  houses  for  our  winter  habitations. 
We  now  take  white  fish  in  considerable  num- 
bers.—The  Indians,  who  frequent  this  post, 
are  Sauteux  and  Muscagoes. 

Saturday,  October  3.  We  sent  people  to 
the  other  end  of  this  lake,  to  make  a  fall 
fishery.  They  will  take  white  fish,  trout, 
pike,  carp,  &c.,  which  constitutes  the  prin- 
cipal food  for  those  who  are  in  the  Nipigon 
country.  In  this  countrj^,  which  is  at  least 
seven  hundred  miles  long  and  five  or  six 
hundred  broad,  more  people  have  starved  to 
death,  than  in  all  the  rest  of  the  Indian 
country.  At  this  lake,  several  years  since, 
eleven  Canadians  lost  their  lives  for  want  of 
food.    We  experience  at  present,  no  difficulty 


HARMON'S  JOURNAL.  129 

in  this  respect;  and  I  am  of  opinion  that 
the  distresses  of  our  predecessors  were,  in  a 
considerable  measure,  owing  to  the  want  of 
good  management. 

Monday,  November  9.  Our  people  have 
returned,  and  inform  us,  that  they  have 
caught  only  fourteen  hundred  fish  of  all  de- 
scriptions. These,  however,  with  what  com, 
flour,  wild  rice  and  meat  we  have,  together 
with  the  trout  which  we  hope  to  take  with 
set  hooks  and  lines,  as  soon  as  the  lake  is 
frozen  over,  will,  we  expect,  furnish  us  with 
a  comfortable  subsistence,  during  the  winter. 
We  are  in  a  solitary  place,  where  we  see  no 
one,  excepting  the  Natives;  and  they  are 
few  in  number,  compared  with  those,  among 
whom  I  have  formerly  been.  Happily  for  us, 
we  have  a  few  good  books;  and  in  perusing 
them,  we  shall  pass  the  greater  part  of  the 
time.  The  Doctor,  who  is  of  about  the  same 
age  with  myself,  is  an  excellent  companion, 
and  fond  of  conversation ;  and  I  trust,  that 
a  friendly  intercourse  will  mutually  cheer  our 
spirits,  and  that  we  shall  spend  the  winter 
in  a  manner,  that  will  be  both  pleasant  and 
profitable. — ^We  have  now  about  four  inches 
of  snow,  which  will  probably  remain  with 
us  through  the  winter. 

Sunday,  15.  The  last  night,  this  lake  froze 
over. 

Friday,  December  4.    We  now  take  great 
numbers  of  excellent  trout  from  under  the 
ice,  with  hooks  and  lines. 
9 


130  HAEMON'S  JOURNAL. 

Early  this  morning,  the  woman  whom  I 
have  taken  to  reside  with  me,  became  the 
mother  of  a  boy,  whom  I  name  George 
Harmon. 

Monday,  December  28.  Doctor  McLaugh- 
lin, accompanied  by  two  Canadians  and  one 
of  the  Natives,  has  gone  to  visit  Mr.  Hol- 
dane,  at  Red  Lake. 

Friday,  February  19,  1808.  The  Doctor 
and  company  have  returned,  from  their  long 
jaunt;  and  I  am  happy  in  again  enjoying 
his  society,  after  a  season  of  comparative 
loneliness. 

Another  year  of  my  life  is  gone,  which 
makes  me  thirty  years  of  age.  This  anni- 
versary leads  me  to  reflect  on  the  rapid  flight 
of  time,  and  the  brevity  of  human  life.  When 
I  attentively  consider  these  things,  it  seems 
surprising  that  we  should  encounter  so  much 
diflBculty  and  labour  in  the  acquisition  of 
property,  which,  if  it  could  minister  more 
effectually  to  our  enjoyment  than  it  does, 
we  must  very  soon  relinquish  forever. 

Friday,  May  13.  The  Doctor,  with  one 
man  in  a  small  canoe,  has  set  off  for  Fort 
William,  where  he  will  be  wanted,  as  soon 
as  he  can  arrive,  to  attend  on  the  sick. 
Among  the  great  number  who  visit  that 
rendezvous  every  summer,  there  are  always 
some,  who  need  medical  aid ;  though  I  firmly 
believe,  that  no  part  of  the  world  is  more 
healthy  than  this.— The  Doctor  has  not  been 
able  to  learn,  to  his  satisfaction,  what  my 


HARMON'S  JOURNAL.  131 

complaint  18.  I  think  that  the  medicines, 
which  I  have  taken,  in  the  course  of  the  win- 
ter, have  been  of  essential  service  to  me ;  and 
I  hope,  before  long  to  regain  my  former 
state  of  good  health. 

The  Indians  of  this  place  have  subsisted, 
during  the  greater  part  of  the  past  winter, 
upon  hares. — There  is  an  old  Sauteux  woman 
here,  who  compels  her  own  son  to  have 
criminal  intercourse  with  her. 

Thursday,  June  9.  Portage  du  Fort. 
Here,  we  shall  wait  the  arrival  of  the  people 
of  this  department;  and  we  shall  then  con- 
tinue our  route,  with  them  to  Fort  William. 
It  is  nine  months  and  fifteen  days  since  I 
passed  this  place,  the  last  autumn,  in  going 
into  the  countrj-,  which  evinces  that  our 
winter  has  been  long;  and  I  may  add  too, 
that  it  has  been  dreary.  But  we  have  rea- 
son to  be  thankful  to  God,  that  we  have 
not  suffered  at  all,  for  the  want  of  the  means 
of  subsistence. 

Wednesday,  22.  Fort  Duncan.  The  people 
for  whom  we  were  waiting  at  Portage  du 
Fort,  arrived  on  the  12th,  and  the  day 
following,  we  set  out  for  this  place,  which  we 
reached  this  afternoon. 

Saturday,  25.  Yesterday,  we  left  fort  Dun- 
can, and  came  to  an  island  in  Lake  Nipigon, 
on  which  we  are  now  encamped,  and  where 
we  intend  to  pass  a  few  days,  in  fishing  for 
trout,  which  are  here  in  plenty,  and  are  of 
an  excellent  quality. 


132  HARMON'S  JOURNAL. 

Thursday,  July  7.  Yesterday  morning,  1 
arrived  at  Fort  William,  where  I  had  only 
time  to  read  my  letters  from  my  friends  be- 
low, and  answer  them,  and  prepare  myseli 
for  a  long  journey.  This  afternoon  I  em- 
barked for  Athabasca,  in  company  with  Mr. 
J.  G.  McTavish;  and  both  of  us  are  to  re- 
main at  the  place  of  our  destination,  for 
three  years,  at  least. 

Wednesday,  20.  Rainy  Lake.  We  here 
find  all  the  Athabasca  people,  excepting  one 
brigade,  which  is  expected  daily. 

Saturday,  22.  Ever  since  my  arrival 
here,  we  have  been  busily  employed  in  pre- 
paring to  leave  this  place,  for  our  winter 
quarters. 

Tuesday,  26.  Rainy  Lake  River.  In  the 
morning,  I  left  the  fort  in  company  with 
Mr.  Archibald  McGillivray.  Our  brigade  con- 
sists of  ten  canoes. 

Friday,  29.  Portage  de  L'IsIp,  in  Winni- 
pick  River.  In  the  morning,  we  met  Mr. 
David  Thomson  and  company  from  the 
Columbia  River. 

Monday,  August  1.  Lake  Winnipirk.  This 
morning,  we  arrived  at  the  fort  on  this  lake, 
whore  we  remained  until  noon.  While  there, 
I  wrote  to  my  old  friend  Mr.  William  Henry, 
who  is  at  the  Lower  Red  River.  I  also 
received  a  letter  from  him,  in  which  he  in- 
forms me,  that  his  fort  was  attacked  this 
summer,  by  a  considerable  party  of  Sieux. 
Two  shots,  from  cannon  in  the  block  houses. 


HARMON'S  JOURNAL  133 

however,  caused  them  to  retire,  in  doing 
which,  thev  threatened  that  they  would  be- 
fore long,  return  and  make  another  attempt 
to  take  the  fort.— The  Sieux  are  a  numerous 
tribe  of  Indians,  who  are  scattered  over  a 
large  tract  of  land,  that  lies  between  the 
Mississippi  and  Missouri  rivers ;  and  they  are 
said  to  be  the  greatest  villains,  in  this  part 
of  the  world.  They  are  the  same  tribe  that 
Carver  distinguishes,  by  the  name  of  Naudo- 
wesseis. 

Saturday,  6.  Grand  Rapid,  at  the  north 
west  end  of  Lake  Winnipick.  The  wind  has 
been  high,  during  the  day ;  and  in  the  latter 
part  of  it,  one  of  our  canoes  filled  with  water. 
Happily,  it  was  near  an  island,  when  this 
disaster  happened.  The  people  were,  how- 
ever, under  the  necessity  of  throwing  a  part 
of  their  property  overboard. 

We  find  here  Mons.  Perigne,  who  was  for- 
merly a  clerk  to  the  North  West  Company, 
but  who,  as  he  informs  me,  has  lately  been 
to  Canada,  and  has  come  up  on  his  own 
ax3count.  He  has  brought  up  a  few  goods, 
to  enable  him  to  carry  on  a  small  traflBck 
with  the  Natives.  He,  also,  intends,  occasion- 
ally to  hunt  the  beaver,  «S:c.,  himself.  But 
I  am  convinced,  that,  at  this  great  distance 
from  the  place  of  market  for  furs,  the  trade 
cannot  be  profitably  carried  on,  unless  it 
be  done  on  a  large  scale,  which  requires  a 
greater  capital  than  an  individual  can  em- 
bark  in  this  undertaking.    The  experiment 


134  HARMON'S  JOURNAL. 

has  been  made,  in  a  number  of  instances  j 
and  it  has  uniformly  failed. 

Friday,  12.  Cumberland  House.  From 
this  place,  I  shall  take  a  route,  which  I  have 
never  before  travelled. 

Saturday,  13.  Entrance  of  River  MalignOj 
or  Bad  River.  This  is  a  considerable  river, 
which  runs  into  Sturgeon  Lake. 

Sunday,  14.  Beaver  Lake.  The  greater 
part  of  the  day,  we  have  employed  in  com- 
ing up  the  river  last  mentioned,  which, 
through  its  whole  course,  has  a  continual 
succession  of  rapids.  The  country  around  is 
low,  and  the  timber,  like  that  of  the  North 
West  country  generally,  is  small. 

Tuesday,  16.  Pelican  Lake.  Most  of  the 
day  has  been  passed  in  crossing  Lac  Mar- 
tin. 

Wednesday,  17.  Portage  du  Forte  de 
Traite,  or  Trading  Fort  Portage.  This  was 
so  named,  from  a  circumstance  which  occurred 
here,  thirty  four  years  since.  Mr.  Joseph 
Frobisher  and  company,  who  were  the  first 
traders  who  ever  came  into  this  quarter, 
here  met  a  large  band  of  Natives,  whose 
canoes  were  loaded  with  furs,  which  they 
were  taking  to  York  Factory,  at  Hudson's 
Bay.  He  succeeded  in  bartering  his  goods 
for  their  furs,  which  amounted  to  more  than 
he  could  take  to  headquarters,  the  next  sea- 
son. He  therefore  built  a  fort,  and,  with  his 
people  passed  several  winters  here;  and  at 
that  time,  it  was  the  most  northern  post. 


HARMON'S  JOURNAL.  135 

belonging  either  to  the  North  West,  or  the 
Hudson  Bay  Company. 

All  the  waters  from  this  side  of  the  port- 
age, pass  through  Lake  Winnipick,  and 
finally  fall  into  Hudson's  Bay,  at  York  Fac- 
tory. But,  on  the  other  side  of  the  portage, 
which  is  about  half  a  mile  over,  the  stream, 
which  is  called  Mis-sin-ni-pi  or  Great  River, 
runs  in  a  different  direction,  and  enters  Hud- 
son's Bay,  at  Churchill  Factory,  which  is  the 
most  northern  post  belonging  to  the  Hudson 
Bay  Company.  The  river  last  mentioned, 
is  called,  by  the  Hudson  Bay  people,  Church- 
ill River,  and  by  the  people  from  Canada, 
English  River. 

Thursday,  August  18.  This  afternoon  we 
obtained  some  dried  meat  from  the  Natives, 
which  we  find  much  more  palatable  than  the 
salted  provisions,  on  which  we  have  subsisted, 
ever  since  we  left  Fort  William.  In  the  In- 
teriour  we  never  make  use  of  salted  pro- 
visions ;  not,  however,  for  want  of  salt,  which 
is  found  in  most  parts  of  the  country,  and 
which  can  be  obtained  in  plenty,  at  all  our 
establishments. 

Tuesday,  23.  Isle  a  la  Cross  Lake.  Ever 
since  we  left  Portage  du  Forte  de  Traite,  we 
have  been  in  what  may  with  propriety,  be 
called  the  English  River,  though  it  passes 
through  several  small  lakes;  and  in  this 
river,  our  way  has  been  obstructed  by  thirty 
six  portages. 

Thursday,  25.     Isle  la  Cross   fort.     This 


136  HARMON'S  JOURNAL. 

fort  stands  on  the  north  side  of  the  lake  of 
the  same  name,  is  well  built  and  has  at- 
tached to  it  an  excellent  kitchen  garden. 
Out  of  the  lake,  the  best  of  white  fish  are 
taken,  during  the  whole  year;  and  it  is  the 
only  place  in  this  country,  in  which  these 
fish  can  be  taken,  at  all  seasons. — The  In- 
dians who  come  to  this  establishment,  are 
Chippewyans,  in  considerable  numbers,  and 
a  few  Crees.  I  am  informed  that  there  are, 
in  this  vicinity,  many  moose  and  cariboo, 
and  a  few  black  bears,  beavers,  otters,  cats, 
&c.  The  country  is  low;  and  scarcely  any 
mountains  are  to  be  seen. 

Tuesday,  30.  East  end  of  Portage  la, 
Loche,  or  Loach  Portage.  This  is  so  named, 
from  a. neighbouring  lake,  where  these  fish  are 
taken,  in  abundance.  This  portage  is  twelve 
miles  over;  and  across  it,  the  people  are 
obliged  to  transport  both  canoes  and  lading. 
The  road,  however,  is  excellent,  through  a 
level  country,  thinly  wooded  with  cypress. 
In  coming  here  from  Isle  la  Cross,  we  have 
passed  two  considerable  lakes,  and  come  up 
a  small  river,  which  is  between  those  lakes. 
The  country  through  which  we  have  passed, 
is  generally  level,  and  the  soil  is  tolerably 
good.  The  streams,  before  we  cross  this 
portage,  discharge  themselves  into  Hudson's 
Bay  at  Churchill  Factory;  but  afterward, 
the  water,  after  passing  through  Athabasca, 
Great  Slave,  and  other  lakes,  enters  the 
North  Sea. 


HARMON'S  JOURNAL.  137 

Saturday,  September  3.  North  west  end  of 
Portage  la  Locbe.  We  here  find  a  small 
band  of  Chippewyans,  who  assist  our  people 
in  transporting  our  property  across  the  port- 
age, and  who  supply  us  with  provisions, 
which  we  very  much  need,  since  our  former 
stock  is  nearly  exhausted. 

About  a  mile  from  this  end  of  the  portage 
is  a  hill,  which  towers  majestically,  to  the 
height  of  a  thousand  feet,  above  the  plain 
below;  and  which  commands  a  most  exten- 
sive and  delightful  prospect.  Two  lofty  and 
extensive  ridges,  enclose  a  valley,  about 
three  miles  in  width,  which  stretches,  far  as 
the  eye  can  reach.  The  Little  River,  which  is, 
also,  by  different  persons,  denominated  Swan, 
Clear  water,  or  Pelican  River,  winds,  in  a 
most  delightful  manner,  along  this  charming 
valley.  The  majestick  forests,  which  wave 
upon  these  ridges,  the  delightful  verdure  of 
the  intervening  lawn,  and  the  beautiful 
stream,  which  wanders  along  through  it, 
giving  a  pleasing  variety  to  the  scene,  until 
these  objects  become  blended  with  the  hori- 
zon, form,  on  the  whole,  the  most  delightful, 
natural  scenery,  that  I  ever  beheld. 

Sunday,  4.  In  the  morning,  we  left  the 
Portage;  and  are  now  in  Little  Athabasca 
River;  which  is  about  twenty  rods  wide. 

Tuesdiiy,  6.  We  are  now  in  the  Great 
Athabasca  River,  which  is  about  three  quar- 
ters of  a  mile  in  breadth.  In  the  early  part 
of  the  day,  we  passed  the  Fork,  where  Little 


138  HARMON'S  JOURNAL. 

Athabasca  river  and  Red  deer,  or  as  some 
call  it,  Elk  river,  form  a  junction. — At  a  small 
distance  from  Portage  la  Loche,  the  naviga- 
tion of  the  river  is  interrupted  by  several 
carrying  places,  in  about  the  middle  of  which, 
are  some  mineral  springs,  that  are  evidently 
impregnated  with  sulphur,  as  appears  by  the 
incrustations  on  their  margins.  At  about 
twenty  miles  from  the  Fork,  several  bitu- 
minous fountains  are  found,  into  which  a 
pole  of  twenty  feet  in  length,  may  be  plunged, 
without  the  least  resistance.  The  bitumen, 
which  is  in  a  fluid  state,  is  mixed  with  gum, 
or  the  resinous  substance  collected  from  the 
spruce  fir,  and  is  used  for  gumming  canoes. 
When  heated,  it  emits  a  smell,  like  that  of 
sea  coal. — There  are  some  places,  along  this 
river,  which  are  of  many  miles  in  extent, 
where  there  is  scarcely  a  tree  standing.  They 
were  killed  by  the  fire,  and  were  then  thrown 
down  by  the  winds.  At  these  places,  a  few 
buffaloes,  moose  and  cariboo,  are  found. 

Wednesday,  7.  Fort  Chippewyan.  This 
fort  stands  on  a  rocky  point,  at  the  south 
western  end  of  Athabasca  Lake,  or,  as  some 
call  it,  the  Lake  of  the  Hills.— This  is  the 
general  rendezvous  for  all  Athabasca.  Here 
the  goods  are  set  apart  for  all  the  different 
posts,  in  this  extensive  department;  and  to 
this  place,  the  grea^ter  number  of  persons 
who  have  the  charge  of  these  posts,  come 
every  fall,  to  receive  their  merchandise  from 
those,  who  have  brought  it  from  the  Rainy 


HARMON'S  JOURNAL.  139 

Lake.— Thi8  place  is  in  N.  Lat.  58°  40'  and 
W.  Long.  111°. 

A  few  Crees,  and  a  greater  number  of 
Chippewyans,  resort  to  this  establishment. 
The  latter  tribe  were  accustomed,  formerly, 
to  take  their  furs  to  Churchill  Factory,  at 
Hudson's  Bay.  They  were,  generally,  six 
months  in  performing  the  journey ;  and  many 
of  them  have  actually  starved  to  death,  on 
their  return  home,  as  the  country  through 
which  they  passed,  is  almost  destitute  of 
game. — This  lake  is,  in  no  part  of  it,  more 
than  fifteen  miles  wide;  but  it  is,  at  least, 
two  hundred  miles  long,  and  extends  east- 
wardly,  toward  Churchill  Factory. 

About  sixty  miles  from  this,  down  Slave 
River,  there  are  several  places,  where  almost 
any  quantity  of  excellent,  clean,  white  salt 
may  be  taken,  with  as  much  ease,  as  sand, 
along  the  sea  shore.  From  these  places,  the 
greater  part  of  the  North  West  is  supplied 
with  this  valuable  article. 

The  country  around  this  place,  is  low  and 
level,  and,  in  the  spring  of  the  year,  much 
of  it  is  covered  with  water.  A  few  moose  are 
found,  in  this  vicinity;  but,  the  fish  of  the 
lake  form  the  principal  dependence  for  food, 
and  they  are  abundant,  and  of  an  excellent 
quality. — Every  fall  and  spring,  bustards  and 
geese  are  found  in  greater  numbers,  than  in 
any  other  part  of  the  North  West. 

Wednesday,  21.  Ever  since  my  arrival  in 
this  place,  people,  from  almost  every  corner 


140  HARMON'S  JOURNAL. 

of  this  extensive  department,  have  been 
flocking  in,  some  of  whom  are  from  more 
than  a  thousand  miles  down  McKenzie's 
Eiver,  which  is  nearly  north  west  from  this. 
Others  are  from  Great  Slave  Lake  and  Peace 
Eiver.  Mr.  Simon  Frazer  has  just  returned 
from  the  Pacific  Ocean.  The  last  spring,  ac- 
companied by  two  other  gentlemen,  twelve 
Canadians,  and  two  of  the  Natives,  he  set 
out  from  New  Caledonia,  on  the  west  side  of 
the  Rocky  Mountain,  on  this  tour.  Mr. 
Frazer  states,  that  his  party  met  with  some 
ill  treatment  from  the  Indians  who  live  along 
the  sea  coast,  but  that  they  were  hospitably 
received  by  those  who  reside  farther  up  the 
country.  The  Indians  in  that  quarter,  he 
says,  are  less  scattered  than  those  who  live 
on  this  side  of  the  Rocky  Mountain,  and 
reside,  not  in  tents,  but  in  houses  or  huts, 
constructed  of  wood.  He  also  reports,  that 
the  country  through  which  they  passed,  is 
far  from  being  well  stocked  with  beavers, 
or  any  other  kind  of  animals;  and  that  the 
Natives  subsist  principally  upon  fish. 

Thursday,  22.  This  afternoon,  in  com- 
pany with  a  number  of  persons,  in  several 
canoes,  I  left  Fort  Chippewyan;  and,  after 
coming  two  miles  in  Athabasca  Lake,  we  en- 
tered a  small  river,  which  is  about  thirty 
six  miles  long,  and  which  now  runs  out  of 
that  Lake  into  Peace  river;  but,  when  this 
river  is  high,  it  discharges  itself  into  the 
Lake. 


HARMON'S  JOURNAL.  141 

Friday,  23.  Peace  River.  This  river  is 
about  seventy  rods  in  breadth,  and  has  a 
gentle  current.  It  rises  on  the  west  side  of 
the  Rocky  Mountain,  at  the  distance  of 
nearly  a  thousand  miles  from  this.  Below 
this,  it  assumes  the  name  of  Slave  River; 
and,  after  a  course  of  one  hundred  and  forty 
or  fifty  miles,  it  discharges  itself  into  Great 
Slave  Lake. 

Sunday,  October  2.  Fort  Vermillion.  To 
this  post,  gTeat  numbers  of  Beaver  Indians 
bring  their  furs;  and  there  are  a  few  Iro- 
quois, also,  from  Canada,  who  hunt  in  this 
vicinity.— About  sixty  miles  below  this,  where 
the  river  is  about  thirty  rods  wide,  there  is  a 
fall,  of  about  twenty  feet.  Through  the  whole 
course,  from  this  fall,  neariy  to  the  Rocky 
Mountain,  at  a  little  distance  from  the  river, 
on  each  side,  there  are  plains  of  considerable 
extent,  which  afford  pasture  for  numerous 
herds  of  the  buffaloe,  the  red  deer  or  elk, 
and  a  few  moose.  Great  numbers  of  black 
bears  are  found,  that  feed  on  the  berries, 
which  are  abundant  on  the  hills,  on  both 
sides  of  the  river. 

Friday,  7.  Encampment  island  Fort. 
This  place  is,  also  established,  for  the  purpose 
of  trading  with  the  Beaver  Indians.  They 
are  the  only  Indians  who  live  along  this 
noble  river,  excepting  a  few  Crees,  who  oc- 
casionally come  to  this  quarter,  from  the 
Lesser  Slave  Lake. 

Monday,  10.     Dunvegan.     This  is  a  well 


142  HARMON'S  JOURNAL. 

built  fort,  pleasantly  situated,  with  plains  on 
each  side  of  the  river,  in  N.  Lat.  56°  and 
W.  Lon.  119°. 

About  the  Fort  a  number  of  Iroquois 
hunters  and  a  band  of  Beaver  Indians,  have 
encamped,  who  have  been  waiting  our  ar- 
rival, in  order  to  obtain  the  articles  which 
they  need.  At  this  place  I  expect  to  pass  the 
ensuing  winter.  There  will,  also,  be  here, 
Messrs.  D.  McTavish,  J.  G.  McTavish,  J. 
McGillivray,  thirty  two  labouring  men,  nine 
women  and  several  children,  which  renders 
this  place  very  different  from  my  solitary 
abode  the  last  winter. 

Our  principal  food  will  be  the  flesh  of  the 
buffaloe,  moose,  red  deer  and  bear.  We  have 
a  tolerably  good  kitchen  garden ;  and  we  are 
in  no  fear  that  we  shall  want  the  means  of  a 
comfortable  subsistence.  Wehave,also,  a  pro- 
vision for  the  entertainment  and  improve- 
ment of  our  minds,  in  a  good  collection  of 
books.  The  gentlemen  who  are  to  remain 
with  me,  are  enlightened,  sociable  and  pleas- 
ant companions;  and  I  hope,  therefore,  to 
spend  a  pleasant  and  a  profitable  winter. 

Friday,  14.  This  morning,  my  old  friend 
Mr.  F.  Goedike,  whom  I  have  been  happy  to 
meet  at  this  place,  left  us,  with  his  company, 
for  St.  Johns,  which  is  about  one  hundred 
and  twenty  miles  up  this  river,  where  he  is 
to  pass  the  ensuing  winter. 

Saturday,  November  12.  About  a  foot  of 
snow  has  fallen. 


HARMON'S  JOURNAL.  143 

Tuesday,  December  20.  During  the  last 
night,  this  river  froze  over;  and,  at  nine 
o'clock  this  morning,  the  thermometer  was 
at  40  degrees  below  0. 

Wednesday,  January  4,  1809.  Sent  the 
express  to  the  Lesser  Slave  Lake,  which  lies 
about  two  hundred  and  fifty  miles  to  the 
south  east  from  this,  whence  it  will  be  for- 
warded to  Fort  des  Prairies. 

Wednesday,  March  1.  A  band  of  our  In- 
dians have  come  in,  who  went  a  considerable 
distance  to  the  northward,  the  last  autumn, 
in  search  of  beavers.  They  state,  that  where 
they  were,  the  snow  fell  to  an  extraordinary 
depth,  in  consequence  of  which,  they  suffered 
greatly  for  want  of  provisions.  In  this  vi- 
cinity, the  snow  was,  at  no  time,  more  than 
two  feet  and  an  half  deep. 

Monday,  20.  The  snow  is  fast  dissolving.— 
Mr.  A.  R.  McLeod  and  company,  have  just 
arrived  from  the  Encampment  Island;  and 
they  bring  the  melancholy  intelligence  of  the 
death  of  Mr.  Andrew  McKenzie,  natural  son 
of  Sir  Alexander  McKenzie.  He  expired  at 
Fort  Vermillion,  on  the  Ist  inst.  The  death 
of  this  amiable  young  man,  is  regretted  by 
all  who  knew  him. — They,  also,  inform  us, 
that  several  Canadians  have  lost  their  lives 
by  famine,  in  the  vicinity  of  Great  Slave 
Lake.  Those  who  survived,  were  under  the 
necessity  of  subsisting,  several  days,  upon 
the  flesh  of  their  dead  companions.  It  is 
reported,  that  one  man  killed  his  wife  and 


144  HARMON'S  JOURNAL. 

child,  in  order  to  supply  himself  with  food, 
who,  afterwards,  himself  starved  to  death. 
These  Canadians  came  up  into  this  part  of 
the  world,  free,  to  hunt  the  beaver,  &c.  and 
they  were  at  too  great  a  distance  from  our 
establishments,  to  receive  any  aid  from  us, 
until  it  was  too  late,  for  the  greater  part  of 
them. 

It  is  not  unfrequently  the  case,  that,  the 
surviving  part  of  a  band  of  the  Natives,  sub- 
sist upon  the  flesh  of  their  dead  companions, 
when  compelled  to  do  it  for  want  of  other 
food,  sufficient  to  sustain  life.  I  know  a 
woman  who,  it  is  said  ate  of  no  less  than 
fourteen  of  her  friends  and  relations,  during 
one  winter.  In  the  summer  season,  the  In- 
dians can  find  food,  almost  any  where;  but 
the  case  is  far  otherwise,  when  the  ground  is 
covered  with  snow,  to  the  depth  of  several 
feet. 

Wednesday,  22.  Sent  people  to  look  for 
birch  bark,  to  make  canoes,  to  take  out  our 
returns  to  the  Eainy  Lake.  The  greater  part 
of  the  canoes,  in  which  we  bring  our  mer- 
chandise into  the  country,  will  not  answer 
to  transport  our  furs  below. 

Thursday,  April  6.  The  weather  is  mild. 
The  people,  whom  we  sent  for  bark,  have  re- 
turned, with  one  hundred  and  eighty  fathoms, 
which  will  make  nine  canoes,  that  will  carry 
about  two  tons  burthen,  each.  Two  men 
will  easily  transport  one  of  them  on  their 
shoulders,  across  the  portages. 


HARMON'S  JOURNAL.  145 

Tuesday,  11.  Geese  and  bustards  begin  to 
come  from  the  south. 

Tuesday,  18.  This  morning,  the  ice  in  this 
river  broke  up. 

Saturday,  May  6.  The  surrounding  plains 
are  all  on  fire. — We  have  planted  our  pota- 
toes, and  sowed  most  of  our  garden  seeds. — 
Our  people  are  preparing  to  set  out  for  the 
Eainy  Lake. 

Thursday,  11.  We,  yesterday,  sent  off 
eleven  canoes,  loaded  with  the  returns  of  this 
place  and  of  St.  John's ;  and,  early  this  morn- 
ing, Messrs.  D.  McTavish,  J.  G.  McTavish, 
F.  Goedike  and  J.  McGillivray,  embarked  on 
board  of  two  light  canoes,  bound  for  the 
Eainy  Lake  and  Fort  William.  But  I  am  to 
pass  the  ensuing  summer,  at  this  place. — The 
last  winter  was,  to  me,  the  most  agreeable 
one  that  I  have  yet  spent  in  this  country. 
The  greatest  harmony  prevailed  among  us, 
the  daj^s  glided  on  smoothly,  and  the  winter 
passed,  almost  imperceptibly,  away. 

Tuesday,  16.  In  the  morning,  Messrs. 
Simon  Frazer  and  James  McDougall  and 
company,  arrived,  in  four  canoes.  The  former 
gentleman  came  from  the  Rocky  Mountain 
Portage,  which  is  about  one  hundred  and 
eighty  miles,  up  this  River.  The  later  is  from 
New  Caledonia,  on  the  west  side  of  the  Rocky 
Mountain,  which  is  distant  from  this,  about 
four  hundred  and  fifty  miles.  After  passing 
the  most  of  the  day  with  me,  they  con- 
tinued their  route  toward  the  Rainy  Lake. 


146  HAKMON'S  JOURNAL. 

Friday,  June  2.  The  seeds  which  we  sowed 
in  the  garden,  have  sprung  up,  and  grow  re- 
markably well.  The  present  prospect  is, 
that  strawberries,  red  raspberries,  shad  ber- 
ries, cherries,  &c.,  will  be  abundant,  this  sea- 
son. 

This  river  since  the  beginning  of  May,  has 
risen  twelve  feet  perpendicularly ;  and  it  still 
continues  to  rise.  This  circumstance  arises, 
in  part,  from  the  large  quantity  of  rain, 
which  has  lately  fallen,  but  more,  I  presume, 
from  the  dissolving  of  the  snow,  on  and  near 
the  Rocky  Mountain. 

Tuesday,  13.  An  Indian  has  come  here, 
who  says,  that  one  of  their  chiefs  has  lately 
died ;  and  he  requests  that  we  furnish  a  chief's 
clothing  to  be  put  on  him,  that  he  may  be 
decently  interred;  and,  also,  that  we  would 
supply  a  small  quantity  of  spirits,  for  his 
relations  and  friends  to  drink,  at  his  inter- 
ment ;  all  of  which  I  have  sent,  for  the  de- 
ceased was  a  friendly  Indian.  Nothing  pleases 
an  Indian  better,  than  to  see  his  deceased 
relatives,  handsomely  attired;  for  he  be- 
lieves that  they  will  arrive  in  the  other  world, 
in  the  same  dress,  with  which  they  are  clad, 
when  they  are  consigned  to  the  grave. 

Wednesday,  July  19.  A  few  days  since, 
Mr.  John  Stuart  and  company,  came  here, 
from  New  Caledonia,  for  goods ;  and  to  day, 
they  set  out  on  their  return  home.  During 
the  few  days  which  that  gentleman  passed 
here,    I  derived  much  satisfaction  from  his 


HARMON'S  JOURNAL.  147 

society.  We  rambled  about  the  plains,  con- 
versing- as  we  went,  and  now  and  then  stop- 
ping, to  eat  a  few  berries,  which  are  every 
where  to  be  found.  He  has  evidently  read 
and  reflected  much.  How  happy  should  I  be 
to  have  such  a  companion,  during-  the  whole 
summer.  But  such  is  our  mode  of  life  in 
this  country,  that  we  meet  but  seldom ;  and 
the  time  that  we  remain  together,  is  short. 
We  onlj^  beg-in  to  find  the  ties  of  friendship, 
binding-  us  closely  together,  when  we  are 
compelled  to  separate,  not  to  meet  again 
perhaps  for  years  to  come. 

Baptiste  La  Fleur,  my  interpreter,  will 
accompany  Mr.  Stuart  and  his  men,  as  far  as 
St.  John's,  in  hopes  of  obtaining  some  in- 
formation respecting  his  brother,  who,  it  is 
supposed,  was  killed  by  an  Indian,  the  last 
spring,  while  on  his  was  from  the  Rocky 
Mountain  Portage  to  St.  John's. 

Wednesday,  July  19.  Baptiste  La  Fleur 
has  returned  from  St.  Johns,  without  having 
been  able  to  obtain  the  least  intelligence,  re- 
specting his  poor  brother,  and  the  two  In- 
dians, who  were  coming  down  the  river,  in 
the  same  canoe  with  him.  We  are,  therefore, 
apprehensive  that  all  three  of  them  have 
been  drowned,  in  coming  down  the  rapids, 
as  their  canoe  was  made  of  the  bark  of  the 
spruce  fir  tree,  and  was,  therefore,  very 
weak. 

Friday,  21.  We  have  cut  down  our  bar- 
ley; and  I  think  it  is  the  finest  that  I  ever 


148  HARMON'S  JOURNAL. 

saw  in  any  country.    The  soil  on  the  points 
of  land,  along-  this  river  is  excellent. 

The  mother  of  the  chief,  who  died  this 
summer,  and  who  is  far  advanced  in  years, 
now  remains  in  a  tent,  at  the  distance  of  a 
few  rods  from  the  fort.  Many  of  the  Natives, 
of  both  sexes,  when  they  become  old  and  in- 
firm, and  unable  to  travel  with  their  rela- 
tions, who  depend  upon  the  chase  for  sub- 
sistence, and  are  frequently  moving  from 
place  to  place,  settle  down  near  our  fort; 
and  it  is  easy  for  us  to  render  them  more 
effectual  aid,  than  their  friends  could  possi- 
bly afford  them. 

Almost  every  day,  just  as  the  sun  is  sink- 
ing below  the  horizon,  the  old  lady,  above 
mentioned,  goes  to  the  place  where  her  de- 
ceased son,  when  alive,  was  accustomed  to 
encamp,  when  he  came  to  the  fort,  and  there 
weeps,  and  sings  a  mournful  kind  of  song,  of 
which  the  following  is  a  translation.  "My 
dear  son,  come  to  me!  why  do  you  leave 
me,  my  son?"  This  she  repeats  for  two 
hours  together,  in  the  most  plaintive  and 
melancholy  tone  imaginable. 

It  is  customary  for  the  women,  among 
the  Beaver  Indians,  when  they  lose  a  near 
relation,  to  cut  off  a  joint  of  one  of  their 
fingers ;  and,  in  consequence  of  so  barbarous 
a  custom,  we  frequently  see  some  of  their 
aged  women,  who  want  the  first  two  joints 
of  every  finger,  on  both  hands.  The  men 
content  themselves,  on  such  occasions,    by 


HARMON'S  JOURNAL.  149 

cutting  off  their  hair,  close  to  their  heads, 
and  bj  scratching  or  cutting  their  faces  and 
arms,  frequently  in  a  most  barbarous  and 
shocking  manner. 

The  Beaver  Indians  are  a  peaceable  and 
quiet  people,  and,  perhaps,  the  most  honest 
of  any,  on  the  face  of  the  earth.  Theft  is 
rarely  committed  among  them ;  and  when  one 
of  their  tribe  is  known  to  have  stolen,  he  is 
regarded  with  a  detestation,  like  that  which 
follows  a  highwa^^man  in  civilized  countries. 

Formerly,  their  clothing  was  made  of  the 
skins  of  the  buffaloe,  moose,  and  red  deer, 
and  their  arms  were  bows  and  arrows;  but 
the  greater  part  of  them*,  are  now  clothed 
with  European  goods,  and  are  supplied  with 
fire  arms.  They  have,  also,  iron  axes  and 
knives,  in  the  place  of  those  which  were  made 
of  stone  and  of  bone. 

Friday,  September  1.  Fowls  begin  to 
leave  the  north,  to  go  to  the  southward. 

Friday,  October  6.  As  the  weather  be- 
gins to  be  cold,  we  have  taken  our  vegeta- 
bles out  of  the  ground,  which  we  find  to 
have  been  very  productive. 

Saturday,  7.  Mr.  A.  R.  McLeod  and  com- 
pany, passed  this  place,  to-day,  in  three 
canoes,  which  are  on  their  way  to  the  Rocky 
Mountain  Portage,  and  thence  to  New  Cale- 
donia. This  gentleman  delivered  me  letters, 
not  only  from  different  persons  in  this  coun- 
try, but  also  from  my  relatives  below.  To 
be  informed,  in  this  way,  of  the  health  and 


150  HARMON'S  JOURNAL. 

prosperity  of  the  latter,  to  attend  to  the  ef- 
fusions  of  their  hearts,  and  a  detail  of  many 
of  the  circumstances  of  their  lives,  transports 
me  in  imagination,  for  a  short  season,  into 
the  midst  of  their  society,  and  communi- 
cates a  pleasure  resembling  that  of  personal 
intercourse.  Excellent  invention  of  letters  ! 
thus  to  enable  us  to  keep  up  a  kind  of  con- 
versation with  beloved  friends,  while  sepa- 
rated from  them  by  thousands  of  miles. 

Sunday,  February  25,  1810.  On  the  even- 
ing of  the  15th  inst.  my  woman  was  de- 
livered of  two  living  boys.  They  appear, 
however,  to  have  been  prematurely  born; 
and,  from  the  first,  little  hope  vras  en- 
tertained that  they  would  long  survive. 
One  of  them  died  on  the  morning  of  the 
22d,  and  the  other  the  last  night;  and  to- 
day, they  were  both  buried  in  the  same 
coffin.  He  who  gave  them  life,  has  taken 
it  away.  He  had  an  undoubted  right  so 
to  do;  and  though  his  ways  are  to  us, 
inscrutable,  he  has  the  best  reasons  for  what- 
ever he  does.  It  becomes  us,  therefore,  hum- 
bly to  acquiesce  in  this  afflictive  dispensa- 
tion. 

Thursday,  May  3.  This  day,  the  ice  in  the 
river  broke  up. 

Tuesday,  15.  Early  this  morning,  Mr.  D. 
McTavish  and  company,  set  out  for  Fort 
William;  and  this  afternoon,  Mr.  J.  Clarke 
and  company,  from  St.  John's,  passed  this, 
on  their  way   to   the   Rainy   Lake.    But    I 


HARMON'S  JOURNAL.  151 

shall  remain,  if  providence  permit,  at  this 
place,  during  another  summer.  The  local 
situation  is  pleasant;  and  we  have  good 
horses,  b}-  means  of  which,  I  can,  at  pleas- 
ure make  excursions  into  the  surrounding 
plains,  over  which  are  scattered  buffaloes, 
moose,  red  deers,  antelopes,  black  and  grey 
bears,  &c.  I  shall  have  no  intelligent  com- 
panion, with  whom  to  converse.  But  this 
deficiency  will  be  in  a  measure  supplied,  by 
a  good  collection  of  books,  with  which  I  am 
furnished.  Were  it  not  for  this  resource, 
many  a  dreary  day  would  pass  over  me. 

Tuesday,  22.  Messrs.  J.  Stuart,  and  H. 
Paries  and  company,  passed  this  place  in 
four  canoes,  with  the  returns  of  New  Cale- 
donia and  Rocky  Mountain  Portage;  and, 
hke  many  others,  they  are  on  their  way  to 
the  Rainy  Lake. 

Saturday,  June  23.  The  last  night  was  so 
cold,  that  the  tops  of  our  potatoes  were 
frozen.  This  morning,  as  several  red  deer 
were  crossing  from  the  opposite  side  of  the 
river,  one  of  our  people  leaped  into  a  canoe, 
and  pursued  them,  and  succeeded  in  kilhng 
one  of  them, 

Thursday,  September  13.  Two  men  have 
arrived  from  New  Caledonia,  who  bring  the 
disagreeable  intelligence,  that  salmon,  this 
season,  do  not  come  up  the  rivers  of  that 
region,  as  usual.  As  this  kind  of  fish  forms 
the  principal  article  of  food,  both  for  the 
Natives  and  white  people,  it  is  apprehended 


152  HARMON'S  JOURNAL. 

that  they  will  all  be  under  the  necessity  of 
proceeding  towards  the  Pacific  Ocean,  until 
they  find  a  people  who  have  been  more 
favoured  by  Providence. 

Wednesday,  October  3.  We  have  taken 
our  potatoes  out  of  the  ground,  and  find, 
that  nine  bushels,  which  we  planted  the  10th 
of  May  last,  have  produced  a  little  more 
than  one  hundred  and  fifty  bushels.  The 
other  vegetables  in  our  garden  have  yielded 
an  increase,  much  in  the  same  proportion, 
which  is  sufficient  proof,  that  the  soil  of  the 
points  of  land,  along  this  river,  is  good. 
Indeed,  I  am  of  opinion,  that  wheat,  rye, 
barley,  oats,  pease,  &c.  would  grow  well  in 
the  plains  around  us. 

Saturday,  October  6.  Mr.  John  Stuart 
and  company,  in  four  canoes,  have  arrived 
from  Fort  Chippewyan,  having  on  board, 
goods  for  the  establishment  at  the  Rocky 
Mountain  Portage  and  New  Caledonia.  This 
gentleman  delivered  me  a  packet  of  letters 
from  home,  and  also  a  number  of  others 
from  gentlemen  in  this  country,  one  of  which 
is  a  joint  letter,  signed  by  three  of  the  part- 
ners, requesting  me  to  go  and  superintend 
the  affairs  of  New  Caledonia;  or,  if  I  prefer 
it,  to  accompany  Mr.  Stuart,  as  second  in 
command  to  him,  until  the  next  spring,  at 
which  time  it  is  presumed,  that  I  shall  have 
learned  sufficient  of  the  state  of  things  in 
that  country,  to  assume  the  whole  man- 
agement myself.    As  Mr.  Stuart  has  passed 


HARMON'S  JOURNAL.  153 

several  years  in  that  part  of  the  country, 
the  information  which  his  experience  will 
enable  him  to  afford  me,  will  be  of  great 
service.  I  prefer,  therefore,  accompanying 
him,  to  going  alone,  especially  in  view  of  the 
late  unfavourable  reports  from  that  coun- 
try, in  regard  to  the  means  of  subsistence. 

Wednesday,  October  10.  St.  John's.  On 
the  7th  Mr.  Stuart  and  myself,  with  our 
company,  left  Dunvegan;  and  this  evening, 
we  arrived  here.  The  current  in  the  river 
begins  to  be  much  stronger  than  we  found 
it  below  Dunvegan.  On  both  sides  of  the 
river,  are  hills  of  a  considerable  height, 
which  are  almost  destitute  of  timber  of  any 
kind.  At  different  places,  we  saw  buffaloes, 
red  deer,  and  bears.  During  our  passage 
to  this  place,  the  weather  has  been  bad.  The 
snow  and  rain  have  been  very  unpleasant, 
unprotected  against  them,  as  we  are,  in  our 
open  canoes. 

Thursday,  11.  In  the  early  part  of  the 
day,  our  people  were  busily  employed  in  pre- 
paring provisions  to  take  with  us  to  New 
Caledonia.  This  afternoon,  Mr.  Stuart  and 
company  embarked  in  three  canoes,  for  the 
Rocky  Mountain  Portage.  Having  a  little 
business  still  to  transact,  I  shall  pass  the 
night  here. 

Monday,  15.  Rocky  Mountain  Portage 
Fort.  We  here  find  nearly  eight  inches  of 
snow.  Mr.  Stuart  and  company  reached  here 
yesterday;  and  I  arrived  this  morning.    Be- 


154  HARMON'S  JOURNAL. 

tween  this  place  and  St.  John's,  the  river  is 
very  rapid,  its  banks  are  high,  and  the  coun- 
try, on  both  sides  of  it,  is  generally  clothed 
with  small  timber.  Erer  since  our  arrival, 
we  have  been  employed  in  delivering  goods 
for  this  place,  and  dividing  the  remainder 
among  our  people,  to  be  taken  on  their 
backs,  to  the  other  end  of  the  portage,  which 
is  twelve  miles  over,  through  a  rough  and 
hilly  country.  We  leave  our  canoes  and 
take  others,  at  the  other  end  of  the  carrying 
place. 

From  the  Great  Slave  Lake  to  this  place, 
there  are  few  rapids,  and  only  one  fall;  but 
at  several  places,  the  current  is  very  strong. 
Yesterday,  we  came  up  one  of  these  places; 
and  as  our  progress  was  very  slow,  I  went 
on  shore  alone,  to  walk  along  the  beach. 
Having  proceeded  some  distance,  I  arrived 
at  a  place  which  I  could  not  pass,  without 
making  a  considerable  turn  into  the  woods. 
I,  therefore,  left  the  side  of  the  river,  and, 
after  having  walked  a  mile  or  two,  I  fell  up- 
on a  well  beaten  footpath,  which  I  supposed 
would  take  me  directly  to  the  fort.  After  I 
had  followed  it  for  several  miles,  I  perceived 
that  it  had  been  trodden  by  wild  animals, 
and  was  as  I  thought,  leading  me  in  a  dif- 
ferent direction  from  that  which  I  ought  to 
have  taken.  I  was  unwilling  to  retrace  my 
steps;  and  I,  therefore,  proceeded  in  a  dif- 
ferent direction,  hoping  soon  to  come  to  the 
river,  farther  up  than  the  place  where  I  left 


HARMON'S  JOURNAL.  155 

Ife.  I  marched  a  good  pace,  for  a  considera- 
ble time,  through  the  snow,  eight  inches  in 
depth,  until  I  found  myself  in  a  swampy 
country,  thickly  wooded,  when  the  sun  was 
just  sinking  below  the  horizon.  Even  while 
the  light  lasted,  I  knew  not  which  way  to 
steer;  but  it  soon  became  so  dark,  that  I 
could  not  distinguish  any  object,  at  the 
distance  of  more  than  ten  yards  from  me. 
I  had  no  means  of  striking  fire;  and  with- 
out this  cheering  element,  it  would  have 
been  uncomfortable  and  unsafe  encamping. 
I  must  have  suffered  severely  with  the  cold; 
and  might  have  been  torn  in  pieces  by  wild 
beasts,  which  are  numerous  in  this  region. 
I  concluded  it  beet,  therefore,  to  continue 
walking,  until  the  light  of  the  morning  should 
enable  me  to  find  the  bank  of  the  river. 
Contrary  to  my  expectation,  however,  a 
kind  Providence  directed  my  way,  out  of 
that  dreary  swamp,  where  at  every  step,  I 
sunk  up  to  my  knees  in  snow,  mud  and 
water. 

With  great  joy,  about  ten  o'clock,  I 
reached  the  river  side,  which  I  followed  down, 
some  distance,  where  I  found  our  people, 
encamped  around  a  large  and  cheering  fire. 
During  the  greater  part  of  this  excursion, 
the  rain  poured  down  in  torrents. 

Wednesday,  17.  North  West  end  of  the 
Rocky  Mountain  Portage.  In  the  morning, 
Mr.  S.  myself  and  our  company,  left  the 
fort;    and,    this   evening,    we    reached   this 


156  HARMON'S  JOURNAL. 

place,  where  we  find  some  of  our  people, 
repairing  four,  crazy,  old  canoes,  in 
which,  I  should  suppose  that  no  one 
would  be  willing  to  embark,  who  attaches 
much  value  to  life.  The  remainder  of  our 
hands  are  employed  in  transporting  our 
baggage,  which  is  still  behind,  to  this  place. 
They  are  assisted  in  doing  this,  by  some  of 
the  Natives,  who  are  Sicannies.  They  have 
just  returned  from  the  other  side  of  the 
Rocky  Mountain,  where  they  go  to  pass  the 
summer  months.  During  the  winter  season, 
they  remain  on  this  side  of  the  Mountain, 
where  they  find  buffaloes,  moose  and  deer. 
On  the  other  side,  none  of  these  animals, 
excepting  a  few  straggling  ones,  are  to  be 
found. 

The  Sicannies  are  a  quiet,  inoffensive  peo- 
ple, whose  situation  exposes  them  to  pe- 
culiar difficulties  and  distresses.  When  they 
proceed  to  the  west  side  of  the  mountain, 
the  Natives  of  that  region,  who  are  Tacullies 
and  Atenas,  attack  and  kill  many  of  them; 
and  when  they  are  on  this  side,  the  Beaver 
Indians  and  Crees,  are  continually  making 
war  upon  them.  Being  thus  surrounded  by 
enemies,  against  whom  they  are  too  feeble 
successfully  to  contend,  they  frequently  suffer 
much  for  want  of  food;  for  when  on  the 
west  side,  they  dare  not,  at  all  times,  visit 
those  places,  where  fish  are  in  plenty,  and 
when  on  the  east  side,  they  are  frequently 
afraid   to  visit  those  parts,  where  animals 


HARMON'S  JOURNAL.  157 

abound.  They  are  compelled,  therefore,  often- 
times to  subsist  upon  the  roots,  which  they 
find  in  the  mountains,  and  which  barely 
enable  them  to  sustain  life ;  and  their  emaci- 
ated bodies  frequently  bear  witness,  to  the 
scantiness  of  their  fare. 

We  here  beg:in  to  see  lofty  mountains  at  a 
distance.  This  place  is  in  the  56°  of  North 
Latitude,  and  121°  of  West  Longitude. 

Monday,  22.  It  has  snowed  and  rained, 
during  the  whole  of  this  day. — We  are  now 
in  the  heart  of  the  Rocky  Mountain,  the 
lofty  summits  of  which,  on  each  side  of  the 
river,  tower  majestically  toward  the  heavens, 
and  are  perpetually  whitened  by  snows, 
that  are  never  dissolved,  by  solar  heat. 
They  are  by  far  tlie  highest  mountains  that 
I  have  ever  seen.  The  timber,  which  grows 
upon  them,  is  chiefly  spruce  fir,  birch  and 
poplar.  It  is  a  curious  fact,  in  the  geog- 
raphy of  North  America,  that  so  many  of 
the  lakes  and  rivers,  on  the  west  side  of  this 
lofty  range  of  mountains,  discharge  their 
waters  through  one  narrow  passage,  in  this 
great  barrier,  and  eventually  enter  the  North 
Sea. 

Wednesday,  24.  Although  we  have  found 
the  current  in  this  river  very  strong,  ever  since 
we  left  the  Rocky  Mountain  Portage,  yet, 
until  this  day,  we  have  found  no  place  where 
we  were  under  the  necessity  of  unloading  our 
canoes,  in  order  to  stem  the  current.  This 
afternoon,  just  as  we  got  through  the  moun- 


158  HARMON'S  JOURNAL. 

tain,  we  passed  Finlay's  or  the  North  Branch, 
which  appears  to  be  of  about  the  same  mag- 
nitude as  the  South  Branch,  which  we  are 
following.  These  two  branches  take  their 
rise  in  very  different  directions.  The  source 
of  the  South  Branch,  is  in  the  Kocky  Moun- 
tain, at  the  distance  of  nearly  two  hundred 
miles  from  the  place  where  we  now  are.  The 
North  Branch  runs  out  of  a  very  large  lake, 
called  by  the  Natives  Musk-qua  Sa-ky-e-gun, 
or  Bears  Lake.  This  lake,  which  is  so  large 
that  the  Indians  never  attempt  to  cross  it  in 
their  canoes,  and  which,  those  who  reside  at 
the  east  end  of  it,  aflBrm,  extends  to  the 
Western  Ocean,  is  situated  nearly  west  from 
the  place  where  the  two  branches  form  a 
junction,  at  the  distance,  as  is  thought  of 
about  one  hundred  and  fifty  miles.  Both 
branches,  before  their  junction,  run  along 
the  foot  of  the  mountain,  as  if  in  search  of 
a  passage  through. 

Thursday,  November  1.  McLeod's  Lake 
Fort.  This  place  is  situated  in  55°  North 
Latitude,  and  124°  West  Longitude.  The 
country  lying  between  this  place  and  Fin- 
lay's  Branch,  is  thickly  covered  with  timber, 
on  both  sides  of  the  river ;  and,  on  the  right, 
in  coming  up,  the  land  is  low  and  level. 
Mountains,  it  is  true,  are  to  be  segn;  but 
they  appear  at  a  considerable  distance.  We 
have  not  seen  a  large  animal,  nor  even  the 
track  of  one,  since  we  left  the  Rocky  Moun- 
tain Portage.    About  twenty  miles  from  this 


HARMON'S  JOURNAL.  159 

place,  we  left  Peace  River,  and  have  come  up 
a  small  river,  of  five  or  six  rods  in  breadth, 
which,  a  little  below  this,  passes  through  a 
small  lake.  Here,  we  leave  our  canoes,  and 
take  our  goods  by  land,  to  the  establish- 
ment at  Stuart's  Lake,  which  place  is  sit- 
uated nearly  one  hundred  miles  to  the  west 
from  this.  There  is  a  passage  by  water  to 
that  lake;  but  it  is  so  circuitous,  that  we 
could  not  make  it  in  less  than  twelve  or 
fifteen  daj'S. 

McLeod's  Lake  may  be  sixty  or  seventy 
miles  in  circumference.  Small  white  fish  and 
trout  are  here  taken ;  but  those  who  reside 
here  subsist,  during  the  greater  part  of  the 
year,  on  dried  salmon,  which  are  brought  in 
the  winter,  on  sledges,  drawn  by  dogs,  from 
Stuart's  Lake. 

The  Indians  who  frequent  this  establish- 
ment, are  Sicannies,  and  belong  to  the  same 
tribe  with  those  who  take  their  furs  to  the 
Rocky  Mountain  Portage.  Their  dialect  dif- 
fers but  little  from  that  of  the  Beaver  In- 
dians. They  appear  to  be  in  wretched  cir- 
cumstances, frequently  suffering  much  for 
want  of  food;  and  they  are  often  driven  to 
the  necessity  of  subsisting  on  roots.  There 
are  but  few  large  animals,  in  this  part  of  the 
country;  and  when  the  snow  is  five  or  six 
feet  deep,  as  is  frequently  the  case  in  the 
winter,  few  beavers  can  be  taken,  nor  can 
many  fish  be  caught,  in  this  cold  season  of 
the  year.    Yet  after  all  the  diflSiculties  which 


160  HARMON'S  JOURNAL. 

these  people  encounter,  in  procuring  a  sub- 
sistence, such  is  their  attachment  to  the 
country  that  gave  them  birth,  that  they 
would  not  willingly  exchange  it,  for  any 
other  part  of  the  world. 

Wednesday,  7.  Stuart's  Lake.  This  lake 
is  called  by  the  Natives  Nuck-aws-lay,  and 
the  establishment  on  it,  where  we  now  are,  is 
situated  in  54°  30'  North  Latitude,  and  in 
125°  West  Longitude.  On  the  third  instant, 
I  left  Mr.  Stuart  at  McLeod's  Lake,  where  he 
designs  to  pass  the  winter ;  and,  accompanied 
by  thirteen  labouring  men,  I  arrived  at  this 
place,  this  afternoon.  In  coming  here,  I 
passed  over  an  uneven  country,  which  is  in 
general  thickly  covered  with  timber.  We 
saw,  on  our  way,  several  lakes  or  ponds,  one 
of  which  was  about  six  miles  long. 

This  fort  stands  in  a  very  pleasant  place, 
on  a  rise  of  ground,  at  the  east  end  of  Stu- 
art's Lake,  which  I  am  informed,  is  at  least 
three  hundred  miles  in  circumference.  At  the 
distance  of  about  two  hundred  rods  from  the 
fort,  a  considerable  river  runs  out  of  the  lake, 
where  the  Natives,  who  call  themselves  Tacul- 
lies,  have  a  village  or  rather  a  few  small  huts, 
built  of  wood.  At  these  they  remain  during 
the  season  for  taking  and  drying  salmon,  on 
which  they  subsist,  during  the  greater  part  of 
the  year. 

Monday,  12.  I  have  sent  J.  M.  Quesnel, 
accompanied  by  ten  labouring  men,  with  a 
small  assortment  of  goods,  to  Frazer's  Lake, 


HARMON'S  JOURNAL.  161 

to  reestablish  the  post  there.  That  lake  lies 
nearly  fiftj  miles  due  west  from  this.  We 
understand  that  the  Indians,  this  fall,  have 
taken  and  dried  a  considerable  quantity  of 
salmon,  in  that  vicinit}'.  I  have  also  sent 
people  to  the  other  side  of  this  lake,  hoping 
thej  will  take  a  few  white  fish,  although  the 
season,  in  which  we  usually  take  them,  is 
nearly  past. 

Wedneadiiy,  14.  The  lake,  opposite  to  the 
fort,  froze  over  the  last  night.  To  day  Mr. 
Stuart  and  company,  arrived  from  McLeod's 
Lake. 

Saturday,  17.  We  have  now  about  eight 
inches  of  snow  on  the  ground. 

Sunday,  18.  Mr.  Stuart  and  company, 
have  gone  to  Frazer's  Lake.  I  accompanied 
them  to  the  other  side  of  this  lake,  where  I 
saw  all  the  Indians  belonging  to  the  village 
in  this  vicinity.  They  amount  to  about  one 
hundred  souls,  are  very  poorly  clothed,  and, 
to  us,  appear  to  be  in  wretched  circum- 
stances ;  but  they  are,  notwithstanding,  con- 
tented and  cheerful.  My  interpreter  informs 
me,  that  their  language  strongly  resembles 
that  spoken  by  the  Sicannies ;  and  no  doubt 
they  formerly  constituted  a  part  of  the  same 
tribe,  though  they  now  differ  from  them,  in 
their  manners  and  customs.  The  Sicannies 
bury,  while  the  T  A  cullies,  burn  their  dead. 

Monday,  26.  The  corpse  of  a  woman  of 
this  place,  who  died  on  the  20th  instant,  was 
burned  this  afternoon.    \Miile  the  ceremony 


162  HARMON'S  JOURNAL. 

was  performing,  the  Natives  made  a  terrible 
savage  noise,  by  howling,  crying,  and  a  kind 
of  singing. 

Saturday,  December  29.  Frazer's  Lake. 
In  coming  to  this  place,  I  passed  through  a 
countrj^,  which  is  very  rough,  and  thickly 
covered  with  timber,  consisting  of  spruce,  fir, 
poplar,  aspin,  birch,  cypress,  &c.  We  crossed 
one  considerable  mountain,  and  several  small 
lakes. 

This  establishment  is  at  the  east  end  of 
Frazer's  Lake,  which  received  its  name  from 
that  of  the  gentleman,  who  first  built  here, 
in  1806.  At  the  distance  of  about  a  mile 
from  this,  there  runs  out  of  this  lake,  a  con- 
siderable river,  where  the  Natives  have  a 
large  village,  and  where  they  take  and  dry 
salmon.  This  lake  may  be  eighty  or  ninety 
miles  in  circumference,  and  is  well  supplied 
with  white  fish,  trout,  &c. 

Tuesday,  January  1, 1811.  This  being  the 
first  day  of  another  year,  our  people  have 
passed  it,  according  to  the  custom  of  the 
Canadians,  in  drinking  and  fighting.  Some 
of  the  principal  Indians  of  this  place,  desired 
us  to  allow  them  to  remain  at  the  fort,  that 
they  might  see  our  people  drink.  As  soon  as 
they  began  to  be  a  little  intoxicated,  and  to 
quarrel  among  themselves,  the  Natives  began 
to  be  apprehensive,  that  something  unpleas- 
ant might  befal  them,  also.  They,  therefore 
hid  themselves  under  beds,  and  elsewhere, 
saying,  that  they  thought  the  white  people 


HARMON'S  JOURNAL.  163 

had  run  mad,  for  they  appeared  not  to  know 
what  they  were  about.  Thej^  perceived  that 
those  who  were  the  most  beastly  in  the  early 
part  of  the  day,  became  the  most  quiet  in  the 
latter  part,  in  view  of  which,  they  exclaimed, 
"the  senses  of  the  white  people  have  returned 
to  them  again,"  and  the}^  appeared  not  a 
little  surprised  at  the  change ;  for,  it  was  the 
first  time,  that  they  had  ever  seen  a  person 
intoxicated. 

Sunday,  27.  This  day  the  Natives  have 
burned  the  corpse  of  one  of  their  chiefs,  who 
died  in  the  early  part  of  this  month.  Shortly 
after  his  death,  one  of  his  nieces  painted  her 
face  with  vermiilion;  and,  in  other  respects 
arrayed  herself  in  the  gayest  manner  possible. 
Her  mother,  observing  this  unbecoming  con- 
duct, reproved  her  in  the  following  manner. 
"Are you  not  ashamed,  my  daughter,"  said 
she,  "to  appear  so  gaily  clad,  so  soon  after 
the  decease  of  your  uncle?  You  ought  rather 
to  daub  your  face  with  black,  and  to  cut 
your  hair  short  to  your  head."  This  re- 
proach for  the  apparent  destitution  of  nat- 
ural affection,  so  afflicted  the  girl,  that,  soon 
after,  she  went  into  a  neighbouring  wood, 
and  hung  herself,  from  the  limb  of  a  tree. 
Happily  for  her,  however,  some  people  passed 
that  way,  before  she  had  long  been  in  this 
situation,  and  took  her  down.  She  was,  at 
first,  senseless;  but  soon  after  recovered. — 
Instances  of  suicide,  by  hanging,  frequently 
occur,  among  the  women  of  all  the  tribes, 


164  HARMON'S  JOURNAL. 

with  whom  I  have  been  acquainted ;  but  the 
men  are  seldom  known  to  take  away  their 
own  Kves. 

Wednesdny,  30.  Two  nights  since,  an  In- 
dian cut  a  hole  in  a  window  in  my  room, 
which  is  made  of  parchment,  at  the  distance 
of  not  more  than  two  feet  from  the  foot  of 
my  bed,  where  I  lay  asleep,  and  took  from 
a  table,  near  it,  several  articles  of  clothing. 
The  next  morning,  two  other  Indians  brought 
back  to  me  a  part  of  the  stolen  property, 
and  informed  me  who  the  thief  was,  and 
where  he  could  be  found.  Soon  after,  accom- 
panied by  my  interpreter,  I  v/ent,  and  found 
the  young  villain,  in  a  hut  under  ground, 
along  with  about  twelve  others,  who  are  as 
great  thieves  as  himself.  I  told  him,  that,  as 
he  was  young,  I  hoped  this  was  the  first  time 
he  had  ever  been  gniilty  of  theft;  and,  pro- 
vided he  would  return  all  the  property  which 
he  had  taken  away,  I  would  forgive  this 
offence;  but  if  he  should  ever  in  future  be 
guilty  of  any  misconduct  toward  us,  he 
might  depend  on  being  severely  punished.  I 
then  returned  to  our  house;  and,  shortly 
after,  two  Indians  brought  me  the  remainder 
of  the  property  which  had  been  stolen,  and  I 
gave  them  a  little  ammunition,  for  having 
made  known  the  thief.— Nearly  all  the  Tacul- 
lies,  or  Carriers  as  we  call  them,  are  much 
addicted  to  pilfering;  but  there  are  few 
among  them  who  dare  steal  from  us. 

Friday,  February  15.    Yesterday  and  to- 


HARMON'S  JOURNAL.  165 

day,  we  found  the  cold  to  be  more  intense, 
than  at  any  other  time  this  season. 

Monday,  18.  Baptiste  Bouche,  my  inter- 
preter, has  taken  the  daughter  of  one  of  the 
Carrier  chiefs,  as  a  wife.  She  is  the  first 
woman  of  that  tribe,  ever  kept  by  any  of  the 
white  people. 

Friday,  April  5.  Stuart's  Lake.  In  the 
morning,  I  left  and  abandoned  the  post  at 
Frazer's  Lake,  and  arrived  here  this  evening. 

Monday,  15.  The  weather  is  pleasant,  and 
seems  to  presage  an  early  spring. — Swans 
and  ducks  of  several  kinds,  have  passed  the 
winter  with  us ;  but  bustards  and  geese,  now 
first  begin  to  make  their  appearance. 

Sunday,  21.  A  few  days  since,  I  sent  the 
greater  part  of  my  people  to  McLeod's  Lake, 
to  prepare  for  the  voyage  from  that  place  to 
the  Rainy  Lake.  Tomorrow,  I  shall  leave 
this  place  myself,  in  company  with  Mr. 
Quesnel  and  others,  for  McLeod's  Lake.  I 
shall  take  with  me  my  little  son  George, 
who  was  three  years  old  last  December, 
for  the  purpose  of  sending  him  to  my 
friends  in  the  United  States,  in  order  that 
he  may  receive  an  English  education.  Mr. 
J.  M.  Quesnel  will  have  the  care  of  him,  until 
he  shall  arrive  at  Montreal. 

Wednesday,  24.  McLeod's  Lake.  I  find 
Mr.  Stuart  and  the  men  very  busy,  in  pre- 
paring for  the  voyage  to  the  Rainy  Lake.— 
The  spring  here  is  less  advanced,  by  fifteen 
days,  than  it  was  at  Stuart's  Lake.    This 


166  HARMON'S  JOURNAL. 

great  difference  of  climate,  I  conclude,  is 
owing  to  the  fact,  that  this  place  lies  nearer 
the  mountains. 

Wednesday,  May  8.  People  have  just  ar- 
rived from  Stuart's  Lake,  who  inform  me 
that  the  mother  of  my  son  was  delivered  on 
the  25th  ultimo,  of  a  daughter,  whom  I  name 
Polly  Harmon. 

As  the  ice  in  Peace  Eiver  begins  to  be  bad, 
it  is  expected  that  a  few  days  hence  the 
navigation  will  be  opened,  when  Messrs. 
Stuart,  Quesnel,  and  their  company,  will  em- 
bark, with  the  returns  of  this  place,  for  the 
Eainy  Lake.  Tomorrovr,  I  design  to  return 
to  Stuart's  Lake,  where  I  expect  to  pass  the 
ensuing  summer.  But  my  attention  is  chiefly 
taken  up  with  the  separation,  which  is  soon 
to  take  place  between  me  and  my  beloved 
son.  A  few  months  hence,  he  will  be  at  a 
great  distance  from  his  affectionate  father; 
and,  it  may  be,  I  shall  never  more  see  him, 
in  this  world.  No  consideration  could  induce 
me  to  send  him  down,  especially  while  he  is 
so  young,  excepting  the  thought,  that  he  will 
soon  be  under  the  fostering  care  of  my  kind 
relatives,  who  will  be  able  to  educate  him 
much  better  than  it  would  be  possible  for  me 
to  do,  in  this  savage  country.  As  I  do  that 
which  I  apprehend  will  be  for  the  benefit  of 
my  little  son,  so  I  earnestly  pray,  that  God 
would  graciously  protect  him,  in  his  absence 
from  me. 

Sunday,  12.     Stuart's  Lake.    Here,  I  ar- 


HARMON'S  JOURNAL.  167 

rived  thi8  afternoon,  after  having  passed 
four  of  the  most  disagreeable  days  that  I 
ever  experienced.  My  spirits  were  dejected,  in 
view  of  the  departure  of  my  child ;  the  snow, 
which  was  three  feet  in  depth,  had  become 
softened  by  the  late  warm  weather,  so  that 
walking  was  attended  with  great  fatigue;  I 
broke  my  snow  shoes,  on  the  way,  which  the 
Indian  lad  with  me  mended  as  well  as  our 
circumstances  would  permit,  though  but 
poori}' ;  and  finally  we  had  scarcely  any  thing 
to  eat.  I  am  happy,  therefore,  to  find  myself 
at  a  place  where  I  can  enjoy  a  little  repose, 
after  such  an  unpleasant  jaunt. 

Tuesday,  21.  This  afternoon,  the  ice  in 
this  lake  broke  up.  Musquetoes  begin  to 
come  about;  and  troublesome  companions 
they  are  in  the  wilderness. 

Wednesday,  22.  As  the  frost  is  now  out  of 
the  ground,  we  have  planted  our  potatoes, 
and  sowed  barley,  turnips,  &c.  which  are  the 
first  that  we  ever  sowed,  on  this  west  side  of 
the  mountain. — We  now  take  trout  in  this 
lake,  with  set  hooks  and  lines,  in  considerable 
numbers ;  but  they  are  not  of  a  good  kind. — 
It  is,  perhaps,  a  little  remarkable,  that  pike 
or  pickerel  have  never  been  found  in  any  of 
the  lakes  and  rivers,  on  the  west  side  of  the 
Eocky  Mountain. 

Tuesday,  June  11.  Three  Indians  have 
arrived  from  Sy-cus,  a  village,  lying  about 
one  hundred  and  thirty  miles  down  this  river, 
who  say,  that  it  is  reported  by  others,  from 


168  HARMON'S  JOURNAL. 

farther  down,  that  there  is  a  very  extraordi- 
nary and  powerful  being  on  his  way  here, 
from  the  sea,  who,  when  he  arrives,  will 
transform  me  into  a  stone,  as  well  as  per- 
form many  other  miraculous  deeds ;  and  the 
simple  and  credulous  Natives  fully  believe  this 
report. 

Sunday,  16.  A  number  of  Indians  have 
arrived,  in  six  large  wooden  canoes,  from  the 
other  end  of  this  lake ;  and  among  them  are 
two,  a  father  and  his  son,  who  say,  that  they 
belong  to  a  tribe,  who  call  themselves  Nate- 
ote-tains.  These  are  the  first  of  that  nation, 
whom  we  have  ever  seen  here.  They  state, 
that  their  tribe  is  numerous,  and  scattered, 
in  villages,  over  a  large  extent  of  country, 
lying  directly  west  from  this;  and  that  it  is 
not  more  than  five  or  six  days'  march,  to 
their  nearest  village.  They,  also,  inform  us, 
that  a  large  river  passes  through  their  coun- 
try, and  at  no  considerable  distance  from  it, 
enters  the  Pacific  Ocean.  They,  likewise,  say, 
that  a  number  of  white  people  come  up  that 
river,  in  barges,  every  autumn,  in  order  to 
trade  witli  the  Indians,  who  reside  along  its 
shores.  But  I  could  not  learn  from  them,  to 
what  nation  those  white  people  belong.  I 
imagine,  however,  that  they  are  Americans, 
who  come  round  Cape  Horn,  to  carry  on, 
what  is  called  a  coasting  trade ;  for,  I  cannot 
learn  that  they  ever  attempted  to  make  es- 
tablishments, along  the  sea  coast. 

Tuesday,  July  2.    Yesterday,  five  Sicannies 


HARMON'S  JOURNAL.  169 

came  here,  from  McLeod's  Lake,  who  form  a 
small  war  party.  Their  leader,  or  war  chief 
desired  me  to  allow  them  to  go  where  they 
might  think  proper;  upon  which,  I  inquired 
of  them,  whither  they  wished  to  direct  their 
course,  and  what  their  business  was.  The 
speaker  replied,  that,  when  they  left  their 
lands,  their  intention  was  to  go  and  try  to 
take  a  scalp  or  two  from  the  Indians  of 
Frazer's  Lake,  "who,"  he  added,  "have  done 
us  no  injury.  But  we  hare  lost  a  relation; 
and  we  must  try  to  revenge  his  death,  on 
some  one." — This  is  a  custom  common  to  a 
gTeater  or  less  extent  to  all  the  tribes. 

I  asked  him  whether  he  supposed  that  we 
supplied  them  with  g-uns  and  ammunitions, 
to  enable  them  to  destroy  their  fellow  crea- 
tures, or  to  kill  the  beaver,  &c.  I  added, 
that  should  they,  in  the  fall,  bring  in  an  hun- 
dred scalps,  they  could  not,  with  them  all, 
procure  a  pint  of  rum,  or  a  pipe  full  of  to- 
bacco ;  but,  if  they  would  bring  beaver  skins 
they  would  able  to  purchase  the  articles 
which  they  would  need.  After  reflecting  for 
some  time  on  what  I  had  said,  the  speaker 
informed  me,  that  they  would,  in  compliance 
with  my  advice,  return  and  hunt  the  beaver ; 
and  they  performed  their  promise,  by  proceed- 
ing immediately  to  their  own  lands. 

Monday,  29.  Several  days  since,  one  of 
our  men,  who  remains  at  McLeod's  Lake, 
came  here  with  the  information,  that  there 
were  Indians  lurking  around  that  fort,  wait- 


170  HARMON'S  JOURNAL. 

ing,  as  was  supposed,  for  a  favourable  oppor- 
tunity to  attack  it.  I,  accordingly,  went 
over,  hoping  that  I  should  be  able  to  ascer- 
tain who  they  were;  but  I  have  not  been 
able  to  obtain  the  least  information  respect- 
ing them.  Probably,  they  had  not  courage 
to  make  the  attack,  and  have  returned  to 
their  own  lands. 

Shad  berries  begin  to  ripen,  which  is  about 
twenty  days  later  than  they  ripen,  in  the 
same  Latitude,  on  the  east  side  of  the  Rocky 
Mountain. 

Friday,  August  2.  Our  whole  stock  of 
provisions  in  the  fort,  for  ten  persons,  con- 
sists of  five  salmon,  only.  It  is  impossible, 
at  this  season,  to  take  fish  out  of  this  lake 
or  river.  Unless  the  salmon  from  the  sea, 
soon  make  their  appearance,  our  condition 
will  be  deplorable. 

Saturday,  10.  Sent  all  our  people,  con- 
sisting of  men,  women,  and  children,  to 
gather  berries  at  Pinchy,  a  village  about 
twelve  miles  distant  from  this,  toward  the 
other  end  of  this  lake.  At  no  great  distance 
from  that  village,  as  I  am  informed,  there  is 
a  small  lake,  out  of  which  the  Natives  take 
small  fish,  which  very  much  resemble  a  sal- 
mon in  shape  and  in  fiavour,  which  are  not 
more  than  six  inches  long.  They  are  said  to 
be  very  palatable ;  but,  if  they  were  not  so, 
they  would  be  very  acceptable  to  us,  in  our 
present  circumstances. 

Thursday,  22.    One   of   the   Natives   has 


HARMON'S  JOURNAL.  171 

caught  a  salmon,  which  is  joyful  intelligence 
to  us  all ;  for  we  hope  and  expect,  that,  in  a 
few  days,  we  shall  have  them  in  abundance. 
These  fish  visit,  to  a  greater  or  less  extent, 
all  the  rivers  in  this  region,  and  form  the 
principal  dependence  of  the  inhabitants,  ae 
the  means  of  subsistence. 

Monday,  September  2.  We  now  have  the 
common  salmon  in  abundance.  They  weigh 
from  five  to  seven  pounds.  There  are,  also, 
a  few  of  a  larger  kind,  which  will  weigh 
sixty  or  seventy  pounds.  Both  of  thera  are 
very  good,  when  just  taken  out  of  the  water. 
But,  when  dried,  as  they  are  by  the  Indians 
here,  by  the  heat  of  the  sun,  or  in  the  smoke 
of  a  fire,  they  are  not  very  palatable.  When 
salted,  they  are  excellent. 

As  soon  as  the  salmcn  come  into  this  lake, 
they  go  in  search  of  the  rivers  and  brooks, 
that  fall  into  it;  and  these  streams  they 
ascend  so  far  as  there  is  water  to  enable 
them  to  swim;  and  when  fh&y  can  proceed 
no  farther  up,  they  remain  there  and  die. 
None  were  ever  seen  to  descend  these  streams. 
They  are  found  dead  in  such  numbers,  in 
some  places,  as  to  infect  the  atmosphere, 
with  a  terrible  stench,  for  a  considerable 
distance  round.  But,  even  when  they  are  in 
a  putrified  state,  the  Natives  frequently 
gather  them  up  and  eat  them,  apparently, 
with  as  great  a  relish,  as  if  they  were  fresh. 

Tuesday,  17.  Between  nine  and  tea 
o'clock,  this  forenoon,  the  sim  was  eclipsed. 


172  HARMON'S  JOURNAL. 

for  nearly  half  an  hour,  which  event  alarmed 
the  Natives  greatly ;  for  they  considered  it  as 
foreboding  some  great  calamity,  about  to 
fall  upon  them.  They  therefore  cried  and 
howled,  making  a  savage  noise.  Their 
priests  or  magicians  took  their  hands  full 
of  swan's  down,  and  blew  it  through  their 
hands  toward  the  sun,  imploring  that  great 
luminary  to  accept  of  the  offering,  thus  made 
to  him,  to  be  put  on  the  head  of  his  sons, 
when  engaged  in  dancing,  and  to  spare  the 
Indians.  They  suppose  that  the  sun  has 
children,  who,  like  those  of  the  Carriers,  are 
fond  of  putting  swan's  down  on  their  heads, 
when  they  dance.— I  explained  to  them  the 
cause  of  the  darkness ;  at  which  they  appeared 
both  pleased  and  astonished,  and  acknowl- 
edged .that  my  account  of  the  subject  was 
rational,  but  wondered  how  I  could  obtain 
a  knowledge  of  such  hidden  and  mysterious 
things. 

Monday,  23.  Bustards  and  geese  begin  to 
come  from  the  north. 

In  the  early  part  of  the  day,  I  found  it 
necessary  to  chastise  the  chief  of  this  village, 
with  considerable  severity.  He  is  the  first 
Indian  that  I  have  ever  struck  during  a  resi- 
dence of  eleven  years,  in  this  savage  country. 

The  following  circumstances  attended  this 
transaction.  The  name  of  the  Indian,  who 
was  chastised,  was  Qufis.  He  had  a  friend, 
who  was  a  worthless  fellow,  to  whom  he 
wished  me  to  advance  goods  on  credit,  which 


HARMON'S  JOURNAL.  lib 

I  declined  doing  for  two  reasons.  The  first 
was,  that  I  did  not  believe  that  the  Indian 
would  ever  pay  me  for  them.  The  other  was* 
that  Quas  wished  to  make  the  Indians  be- 
lieve, that  he  had  a  great  deal  of  iniiuence 
over  us,  which  would  be  prejudicial  to  our 
interest,  if  he  should  effect  it.  He  tried  every 
method,  which  he  could  devise,  to  persuade 
me  to  advance  the  goods,  but  to  no  purpose ; 
for  I  perceived  what  was  his  object.  He  then 
told  me,  that  he  saw  no  other  difference  be- 
tween me  and  himself,  but  this  only  :  'you,' 
said  he,  'know  how  to  read  and  write;  but  I 
do  not.  Do  not  I  manage  my  affairs  as  well, 
as  you  do  yours?  You  keep  your  fort  in 
order,  and  make  your  slaves,'  meaning  my 
men,  'obey  you.  You  send  a  great  way  off 
for  goods,  and  you  are  rich  and  want  for 
nothing.  But  do  not  I  manage  my  affairs  as 
well  as  you  do  yours?  WTien  did  you  ever 
hear  that  Quas  was  in  danger  of  starving? 
\Mien  it  is  the  proper  season  to  hunt  the 
beaver,  I  kill  them ;  and  of  their  fiesh  I  make 
feasts  for  my  relations.  I,  often,  feast  all  the 
Indians  of  my  village ;  and,  sometimes,  invite 
people  from  afar  off,  to  come  and  partake  of 
the  fruits  of  my  hunts.  I  know  the  season 
when  fish  spavv^l,  and,  then  send  my  women 
with  the  nets  which  they  have  made,  to  take 
them.  I  never  want  for  any  thing,  and  my 
family  is  always  well  clothed."— In  this  man- 
ner, the  fellow  proceeded,  for  a  considerable 
time. 


1T4  HARMON'S  JOURNAL. 

I  told  him  that  what  he  had  said,  con- 
•erning  himself  and  his  family,  was  true ;  yet, 
I  added,  '  I  am  master  of  my  own  property, 
and  shall  dispose  of  it  as  I  please.'  'Well,' 
said  he,  'have  you  ever  been  to  war?'  'No,' 
replied  I,  'nor  do  I  desire  to  take  the  life  of 
any  of  my  fellow  creatures.'  '  I  have  been  to 
war,'  continued  he,  'and  have  brought  home 
man}^  of  the  scalps  of  my  enemies.'  I  was 
now  strongly  tempted  to  beat  him,  as  his 
object  manifestly  was,  to  intimidate  me.  But 
I  wished  to  avoid  a  quarrel,  which  might  be 
evil  in  its  consequences;  and  especially  to 
evince  to  the  Indians,  who  were  spectators  of 
what  passed  between  us,  that  I  Avas  disposed 
to  live  in  peace  with  them.— Quas  proceeded 
to  try  me  another  way.  He  asked  me  if  I 
would  trust  him  with  a  small  piece  of  cloth,  to 
make  him  a  breech  cloth?  This  I  consented 
to  do,  and  went  into  the  store,  to  measure  it 
off.  He  followed  me  together  with  my  inter- 
preter, and  ten  or  twelve  other  Indians.  I 
took  up  a  piece  of  cloth,  and  asked  him.  if  he 
would  have  it  from  that?  He  answered,  no. 
I  then  made  a  similar  inquiry,  respecting  an- 
other piece,  to  which  he  made  a  similar  reply. 
This  persuaded  me,  that  his  only  object  was 
to  provoke  me  to  quarrel  with  him.  I,  there- 
fore, threw  down  the  cloth,  and  told  him,  if 
he  would  not  have  that,  he  should  have 
this,  (meaning  a  square  yard  stick  which  I 
had  in  my  hand)  with  which  I  gave  him  a 
smart  blow  over  the  head,  which  cut  it,  con- 


HARMON'S  JOURNAL.  175 

eiderablv.  I  then  sprang  over  the  counter, 
and  pelted  him,  for  about  five  minutes,  dur- 
ing which  time,  he  continually  called  to  his 
companions,  all  of  whom  had  knives  in  their 
hands,  to  come  and  take  me  off.  But,  they 
replied  that  they  could  not,  because  there 
were  two  other  white  people  in  the  room,  who 
would  prevent  them.  It  was  happy  for  us 
that  these  Indians  stood  in  such  fear  of  us; 
for  there  were  only  four  white  men,  at  this 
time  in  the  fort,  and  they  could  easily  have 
murdered  us.— As  QuAs  and  his  company  left 
us,  he  told  me  that  he  would  see  me  again 
tomorrow,  when  the  sun  should  be  nearly  in 
the  south,  meaning  between  ten  and  twelve 
o'clock. 

Monday,  October  7.  The  next  day  after  I 
chastised  the  Indian,  as  above  described,  he 
sent  one  of  his  wives  to  request  me,  either  to 
come  and  see  him,  or  to  send  him  some 
medicine.  I,  therefore,  sent  him  some  salve, 
with  which  to  dress  the  wound  in  his  head. — 
A  few  days  after,  he  became  so  well  as  to  be 
able  to  hunt;  and  he  killed  and  brought 
home  a  number  of  beavers,  with  which  he 
yesterday  made  a  feast.  He  sent  an  invita- 
tion to  me  to  attend  this  feast;  and  I  con- 
eluded  that  it  would  be  necessary  for  me  to 
go,  or  he  might  think  that  I  was  afraid  of 
him.  I,  accordingly,  put  a  brace  of  pistols  in 
my  pocket,  and  hung  a  sword  by  my  side, 
and  directed  my  interpreter  to  arm  himself  in 
a  similar  manner,  and  to  accompany  me.    We 


176  HAEMON'S  JOURNAL. 

proceeded  to  the  house  of  the  chief,  where  we 
found  nearly  an  hundred  Indians,  assembled. 
As  soon  as  we  arrived,  he  requested  us  to  be 
seated.  He  then  rose,  and  stood  in  the  mid- 
dle of  the  circle,  formed  by  the  guests,  and 
with  a  distinct  and  elevated  voice,  made  a 
long  harangue,  in  which  he  did  not  forget  to 
make  mention  of  the  beating  which  he  had 
lately  received  from  me.  He  said,  if  it  had 
been  given  to  him  by  any  person  but  the 
Big  Knife  (the  name  which  they  give  to  me) 
he  would  have  either  lost  his  own  life,  or 
have  taken  that  of  the  person  attacking  him. 
But  now,  he  said,  he  considered  himself  as 
my  wife;  for  that  was  the  way,  he  said,  that 
he  treated  his  women  (of  whom  he  has  four) 
when  they  behave  ill.  He  said,  that  he 
thanked  me  for  what  I  had  done,  for  it  had 
given  him  sense. — To  this  I  replied,  that,  in 
a  remote  country,  I  had  left  my  friends  and 
relations,  who  wanted  for  none  of  the  good 
things  of  this  world,  and  had  come  a  great 
distance,  with  such  articles  as  the  Indians 
greatly  needed,  and  which  I  would  exchange 
for  their  furs,  with  which  I  could  purchase 
more ;  and  in  this  way,  I  could  always  supply 
their  necessities;  that  I  considered  the  In- 
dians as  my  children,  and  that  I  must  chas- 
tise them  when  they  behaved  ill,  because  it 
was  for  their  good.  'You  all  know,'  said  I, 
*that  I  treat  good  Indians  well,  and  that  I 
strive  to  live  in  peace  with  you.'— 'Yes,'  re- 
plied the  father-in-law  to  the  chief,  '  Big  Knife 


HARMON'S  JOURNAL.  177 

speaks  the  truth.  My  son  had  no  sense,  and 
vexed  him,  and  therefore  deserved  the  beating 
which  he  has  received.' — Qutls  then  told  the 
Indians,  that  if  he  ever  heard  of  any  of  them 
laughing  at  him  for  the  beating  which  he  had 
received,  he  would  make  them  repent  of  their 
mirth. 

After  this  the  feast  was  served  up  in  a 
manner,  which  I  shall  describe  in  another 
place.— It  will  be  seen,  by  this  account,  that 
the  white  people  have  a  great  ascendency 
over  the  Indians ;  for,  I  believe  that  this  chief 
is  not  destitute  of  bravery.  But  it  is  very 
necessary,  in  order  to  secure  ourselves  from 
aggression,  that  we  manifest  that  we  are  not 
afraid  of  them. 

Saturday,  12.  During  the  last  three  days, 
it  has  snowed  continually;  and  it  has  fallen 
to  the  depth  of  nearly  two  feet. 

Monday,  21.  We  have  now  in  our  store, 
twenty  five  thousand  salmon.  Four  in  a  day 
are  allowed  to  each  man. — I  have  sent  some 
of  our  people  to  take  white  fish. 

Thursday,  31.  Two  men  have  arrived 
from  McLeod's  Lake,  and  have  delivered  me 
several  letters,  one  of  which,  from  Mr.  James 
McDougall,  who  accompanied  our  people  from 
the  Rainy  Lake,  informs  me,  that  the  canoes 
were  stopped  by  the  ice,  on  the  12th  inst. 
about  three  days'  march  below  McLeod's 
Lake,  where  they  still  remain,  together  with 
the  property  which  they  had  on  board. 

Saturday,   November  16.     Our  fishermen 


178  HARMON'S  JOURNAL. 

have  returned  to  the  fort,  and  inform  me 
that  they  have  taken  seven  thousand  white 
fish.  These  fish,  which,  singly,  will  weigh 
from  three  to  four  pounds,  were  taken  in  nine 
nets,  of  sixty  fathoms  each. 

Sunday,  17.  Clear  and  cold.  The  last 
night,  the  lake,  opposite  to  the  fort,  froze 
over. — The  greater  part  of  the  snow,  which 
fell  in  October,  is  now  dissolved. 

Friday,  December  13.  On  the  20th  ult.  I 
set  off,  accompanied  by  twenty  of  my  people, 
for  the  goods  which  were  stopped  by  the  tak- 
ing of  the  ice  in  Peace  River,  the  last  October. 
We  all  returned  this  evening  accompanied  by 
Mr.  McDougall,  who  has  come  to  pass  the 
hoUdays  with  us.  Our  goods  were  dra'WTi  on 
sledges  by  dogs.  Each  pair  of  dogs  drew  a 
load  of  from  two  hundred,  to  two  hundred 
and  fifty  pounds,  besides  provisions  for  them- 
selves and  their  driver,  which  would  make  the 
whole  load  about  three  hundred  pounds.  I 
have  seen  many  dogs,  two  of  which  would 
draw  on  a  sledge,  five  hundred  pounds, 
twenty  miles,  in  five  hours.  For  a  short  dis- 
tance, two  of  our  stoutest  dogs  will  draw 
more  than  a  thousand  pounds  weight.  In 
short,  there  is  no  animal,  with  which  I  am 
acquainted,  that  would  be  able  to  render  half 
the  service  that  our  dogs  do,  in  this  country, 
where  the  snow  is  very  deep  in  the  winter 
season.  They  sink  but  httle  into  it,  in  fol- 
lowing a  person  on  snow  shoes. 

Wednesday,  January  1,  1812.    This  being 


HARMON'S  JOURNAL.  179 

the  first  day  of  the  year,  Mr.  McDougall  and 
I  dined  with  all  our  people,  in  the  hall. 
After  our  repast  was  ended,  I  invited  several 
of  the  Sicanny  and  Carrier  chiefs,  and  most 
respectable  men,  to  partake  of  the  provisions 
which  we  had  left ;  and  I  was  surprised  to  see 
them  behave  with  much  decency,  and  even 
propriety,  while  eating-,  and  while  drinking  a 
flagon  or  two  of  spirits. 

After  they  had  finished  their  repast,  they 
smoked  their  pipes,  and  conversed  rationally, 
on  the  great  difference  which  there  is,  between 
the  manners  and  customs  of  civilized  people, 
and  those  of  the  savages.  They  readily  con- 
ceded, that  ours  are  superior  to  theirs. 

Tuesday,  7.  On  the  4th  inst.  accompanied 
by  several  of  our  people,  I  set  off  for  Tachy, 
a  village,  toward  the  other  end  of  this  lake. 
We  there  saw  a  number  of  Indians,  who  ap- 
pear to  be  very  indolent,  and  w^ho  are,  of 
course,  wretchedly  clad,  and  not  better  fed. 
From  that  place,  we  proceeded  up  a  consider- 
able river,  about  half  a  da^^'s  march,  to  an- 
other village,  inhabited  chiefly  by  Sicannies, 
who  appear  to  be  more  industrious  than  the 
inhabitants  of  the  former  village ;  and,  there- 
fore, they  are  better  clothed,  and  live  more 
comfortably.  Their  principal  food  consists 
of  salmon,  white  fish,  and  trout ;  and  they, 
at  times,  kill  a  beaver,  or  a  cariboo.  The 
country  around  the  lake  is  hilly;  but,  on 
both  sides  of  this  river,  it  is  level ;  and  from 
the  appearance  of  the  timber  which  grows 


180  HARMON'S  JOURNAL. 

on  it,  I  should  think  that  the  soil  is  not 
bad. 

Monday,  13.  On  the  9th  inst.  a  Sicanny 
died  at  this  place ;  and  the  following  circum- 
stances attended  his  incineration,  to  day. — 
The  corpse  was  placed  on  a  pile  of  dry  wood, 
with  the  face  upwards,  which  was  painted 
and  bare.  The  body  was  covered  with  a 
robe,  made  of  beaver  skins,  and  shoes  were 
on  the  feet.  In  short,  the  deceased  was 
clothed  in  the  same  manner  as  when  alive, 
only  a  little  more  gaily.  His  gun  and  powder 
horn,  together  with  every  trinket  which  he 
had  possessed,  were  placed  by  his  side.  As 
they  were  about  to  set  fire  to  the  wood,  on 
which  the  deceased  lay,  one  of  his  brothers 
asked  him  if  he  would  ever  come  among 
them  again ;  for,  they  suppose  that  the  soul 
of  a  person,  after  the  death  of  the  body,  can 
revisit  the  earth,  in  another  body.  They 
must,  therefore,  believe  in  the  immortality, 
though  they  connect  with  it  the  transmigra- 
tion, of  the  soul. 

The  deceased  had  two  wives,  who  werfr 
placed,  the  one  at  the  head,  and  the  other  at 
the  foot  of  the  corpse;  and  there  they  lay 
until  the  hair  of  their  heads  was  nearly  con- 
sumed by  the  flames,  and  they  were  almost 
suffocated  by  the  smoke.  When  almost  sense- 
less, they  rolled  on  the  ground,  to  a  little 
distance  from  the  fire.  As  soon  as  they  had 
recovered  a  little  strength,  they  stood  up,  and 
began  to  strike  the  burning  corpse  with  both 


HARMON'S  JOURNAL.  181 

their  hands  alternately ;  and  this  disgusting, 
fiavage  ceremony  was  continued,  until  the 
body  was  nearly  consumed.  This  operation 
was  interrupted  by  their  frequent  turns  of 
fainting,  arising  from  the  intensity  of  the 
heat.  If  they  did  not  soon  recover  from 
these  turns,  and  commence  the  operation  of 
striking  the  corpse,  the  men  would  seize  them 
by  the  little  remaining  hair  on  their  heads, 
and  push  them  into  the  flames,  in  order  to 
compel  them  to  do  it.  This  violence  was 
especially  used  toward  one  of  the  wives  of  the 
deceased,  who  had  frequently  run  away  from 
him,  while  he  was  living. 

When  the  body  was  nearly  burned  to 
ashes,  the  wives  of  the  deceased  gathered 
up  these  ashes,  and  the  remaining  pieces  of 
bones,  which  they  put  into  bags.  These 
bags  they  will  be  compelled  to  carry  upon 
their  backs,  and  to  lay  by  their  sides,  when 
they  lie  down  at  night,  for  about  two  years. 
The  relations  of  the  deceased  will  then  make 
a  feast,  and  enclose  these  bones  and  a^hes 
in  a  box,  and  deposit  them  under  a  shed, 
erected  for  that  purpose,  in  the  centre  of  the 
village.  Until  this  time,  the  widows  are  kept 
in  a  kind  of  slavery,  and  are  required  to 
daub  their  faces  over  with  some  black  sub- 
stance, and  to  appear  clothed  with  rags, 
and  frequently  to  go  without  any  clothing, 
excepting  round  their  waists.  But,  at  the 
time  of  this  feast,  they  are  set  at  liberty 
from  these  disagreeable  restraints. 


182  HARMON'S  JOURNAL. 

Thursday,  30.  On  the  17th  inst.  accom- 
panied by  Mr.  McDougall,  twelve  of  my  men 
and  two  carriers,  I  set  out  on  a  journey 
to  the  territory  of  the  Nate-ote-tains,  a  tribe 
of  Indians,  who  have  never  had  any  inter- 
course with  white  people,  and  few  of  whom 
have  ever  seen  them.  After  travelhng,  with 
all  possible  expedition,  during  seven  days, 
generally  on  lakes,  we  arrived  at  their  first 
village.  The  inhabitants  were  not  a  little 
surprised  and  alarmed  to  see  people  come 
among  them,  whose  complexion  was  so  dif- 
ferent from  their  own.  As  their  village  stands 
on  a  rise  of  ground,  near  to  a  large  lake, 
they  saw  us  coming,  when  we  were  at  a  con- 
siderable distance  from  them;  and  the  men, 
women  and  children  came  out  to  meet  us, 
all  of  whom  were  armed,  some  with  bows 
and  arrows,  and  others  with  axes  and  clubs. 
They  offered  no  offence ;  but,  by  many  savage 
gestures  they  manifested  a  determination 
to  defend  themselves,  in  case  they  were  at- 
tacked. We  soon  dissipated  their  fears,  by 
informing  them,  that  we  came  not  to  make 
war  upon  them,  but  to  supply  them  with 
articles  which  they  needed,  and  to  receive  their 
furs  in  exchange.  They  treated  us  with  much 
respect  and  with  great  hospitality. 

The  day  following,  we  proceeded  on  our 
route,  and,  during  our  progress,  we  saw  four 
more  of  their  villages.  At  the  second  of  these, 
we  found  the  two  men  who,  the  last  summer, 
visited  my  fort.    These  people  were  not,  there- 


HARMON'S  JOURNAL.  183 

fore,  surprised  at  seeing  us  among  them; 
for,  I  had  promised  these  two  men,  that,  in 
the  course  of  the  winter,  I  would  visit  their 
country.  They  gave  us  the  same  account  as 
they  had  before  given  at  the  fort,  of  the 
white  people,  who  come  up  a  large  river, 
already  mentioned.  And  to  convince  us  of 
the  truth  of  the  account,  they  showed  us 
guns,  cloth,  axes,  blankets,  iron  pots,  &c. 
which  they  obtained  from  their  neighbours, 
the  Atenas,  who  purchase  them  directly  of 
the  white  people. 

The  five  villages  which  we  visited,  contain 
about  two  thousand  inhabitants,  who  are 
well  made  and  robust.  They  subsist  prin- 
cipally on  salmon,  and  other  small  fish.  The 
salmon  here  have  small  scales,  while  those 
at  Stuart's  Lake,  have  none.— The  clothing 
of  these  people,  is  much  like  that  of  the  Car- 
riers. I  procured  from  them  vessels,  curi- 
ously WTought,  of  the  smaller  roots  of  the 
spruce  fir,  in  different  shapes.  Some  of  them 
are  open,  like  a  kettle,  and  will  hold  water. 
They  also,  let  me  have  a  blanket  or  rug, 
which  was  manufactured  by  the  Atenas,  of 
the  wool  of  a  kind  of  sheep  or  goat.  These 
animals  are  said  to  be  numerous,  on  the 
mountains,  in  their  countrj^— They  told  us 
that  we  had  seen  but  a  small  part  of  the 
Nate-ote-tains,  who,  they  say,  are  a  numerous 
tribe.  They  speak  a  language  peculiar  to 
themselves,  though  the  greater  part  of  them 
understand  that,  spoken  by  the  Carriers. 


184  HAEMON'S  JOURNAL. 

The  country,  which  we  travelled  over,  in 
this  route,  is  generally  level.  Few  mountains 
are  to  be  seen.  A  heavy  growth  of  timber 
evinces,  that  the  soil  is  good.— We  saw  no 
large  animals,  excepting  the  cariboo;  but 
we  were  informed,  that  black  bears,  and  other 
kinds  of  the  larger  animals,  exist  in  con- 
siderable numbers,  in  that  region. 

Sunday,  February  23.  I  have  just  returned 
from  a  jaunt  of  eight  days,  to  Frazer's  Lake 
and  Stilla.  The  latter  place  lies  about  twenty 
miles  beyond  the  former.  Wherever  we  went, 
the  Natives,  as  usual,  appeared  to  be  pleased 
to  see  us,  and  treated  us  hospitably. 

Monday,  April  6.  Six  Indians  have  arrived 
from  Frazer's  Lake,  who  delivered  to  me  a 
letter,  written  by  Mr.  David  Thompson, 
which  is  dated  August  28th,  1811,  at  Hk- 
koy-ope  Falls,  on  the  Columbia  Eiver.  It  in- 
forms me,  that  this  gentleman,  accompanied 
by  seven  Canadians,  descended  the  Columbia 
Eiver,  to  the  place  where  it  enters  the  Pacific 
Ocean,  where  they  arrived  on  the  16th  of 
July.  There  they  found  a  num.ber  of  people, 
employed  in  building  a  fort  for  a  company 
of  Americans,  who  denominate  themselves 
the  Pacific  Fur  Company.  He  also  writes, 
that  Mr.  Alexander  McKay  and  others,  have 
proceeded  to  the  northward,  in  the  vessel 
that  brought  them  there,  on  a  coasting 
trade.— Mr.  Thompson,  after  having  remained 
seven  days  with  the  American  people,  set  out 
on  his  return  to  his  establishments,  which 


HARMON'S  JOURNAL.  185 

are  near  the  source  of  the  Columbia  Kiver. 
From  one  of  these  posts,  he  wrote  the  letter 
above  mentioned,  and  delivered  it  to  an  In- 
dian, to  bring  to  the  next  tribe,  with  the 
direction,  that  thej  should  forward  it  to  the 
next,  and  so  on,  until  it  should  reach  this 
place.  This  circumstance  accounts  for  the 
great  length  of  time,  that  it  has  been  on  the 
way ;  for  the  distance  that  it  has  come,  might 
be  travelled  over,  in  twenty  five  or  thirty 
days. 

Monday,  Mayll.  This  morning  I  returned 
from  McLeod's  Lake,  where  I  have  been  to 
send  off  my  people,  who  are  to  go  to  the 
Rainy  Lake.  WTiile  there,  one  of  my  men, 
Pieere  Lambert,  while  crossing  a  small  lake 
on  a  sledge,  fell  through  the  ice;  and,  before 
his  companions  who  were  near  could  ex- 
tricate him,  he  was  drowned.  The  day  follow- 
ing, his  corpse  was  brought  to  the  fort  and 
interred. 

On  my  way  home,  the  walking  was  exceed- 
ingly bad.  The  snow  was  three  feet  deep, 
and  the  weather  was  so  mild,  that  it  had 
become  very  soft.  About  ten  miles  from  this 
place,  I  left  my  guide,  and  came  on  forward 
of  him.  I  had  not  proceeded  far,  before  I 
wandered  from  my  proper  course.  I  might 
have  followed  my  tracks  back ;  but  this  I  was 
unwilling  to  do,  and  I  continued,  therefore 
to  wander  about  during  the  remainder  of  the 
day.  The  night  came  upon  me,  while  I  was 
in  a  thick  wood;  and,  as  I  had  nothing  to 


186  HARMON'S  JOURNAL. 

eat,  I  could  only  kindle  up  a  fire,  and  en- 
deavour to  solace  myself,  by  smoking  my 
pipe. — I  passed  the  greater  part  of  the  night 
in  melancholy  reflections  on  the  unpleasant 
condition,  into  which  I  had  brought  myself, 
by  leaving  ray  guide.  Very  early  in  the  morn- 
ing, I  left  my  fire,  and  commenced  travelling, 
without  knowing  what  direction  to  take. 
The  sun  was  concealed  by  clouds,  and  the 
rain  fell  copiously.  Before  I  had  gone  far,  I 
perceived,  at  no  great  distance  from  me,  a 
pretty  high  hill,  which  I  at  length  ascended, 
with  much  difficulty.  From  its  summit,  1  was 
cheered  by  a  prospect  of  this  lake,  at  a  con- 
siderable distance  from  me.  Having  ascer- 
tained the  course  which  I  must  take,  I  de- 
scended into  the  valley,  and  took  the  follow- 
ing method  to  keep  in  the  direction  to  the 
fort.  I  at  first  marked  a  tree;  and  from 
that,  singled  out  one  forward  of  me,  to 
which  I  proceeded;  and  by  means  of  these 
two  fixed  upon  another,  in  a  straight  line 
ahead;  and  continued  the  same  operation, 
for  several  hours,  until,  with  great  joy,  I 
reached  the  fort.  And  now,  therefore,  I  desire 
to  return  thanks  to  kind  Providence,  for 
having  once  more  directed  my  steps  to  my 
home  and  my  family. 

Thursday,  21.  The  last  night,  an  east 
wind  drove  the  ice  to  the  other  end  of  the 
lake. 

Tuesday,  23.  This  morning,  the  Natives 
caught  a  sturgeon  that  would  weigh  about 


HARMON'S  JOURNAL.  187 

two  hundred  and  fifty  pounds.  We  frequently 
see  in  this  lake,  those  wliich  are  much  larger, 
which  we  cannot  take,  for  the  want  of  nets, 
suflBciently  strong  to  hold  them. 

Saturdar,  August  15.  Salmon  begin  to 
come  up  this  river.  As  soon  as  one  is  caught 
the  Natives  always  make  a  feast,  to  express 
their  joy  at  the  arrival  of  these  fish.  The 
person,  who  first  sees  a  salmon  in  the  river, 
exclaims,  TA-loe  nas-lay !  TA-loe  nas-lay  I 
in  English,  Salmon  have  arrived !  Salmon 
have  arrived  !  and  the  exclamation  is  caught 
with  joy,  and  uttered  with  animation,  by 
every  person  in  the  village. 

Wednesday,  September  2.  Mr.  McDougall 
and  company,  who  came  here  on  the  25th 
ult.  set  out  this  morning,  on  their  return 
home,  to  McLeod's  Lake.  This  visit  has 
afforded  me  much  satisfaction.  In  this  lonely 
part  of  the  world,  we  enjoy  the  pleasures  of 
social  intercourse,  when  we  are  permitted  to 
spend  a  little  time  with  a  friend,  with  the 
highest  relish. 

Sunday,  October  25.  Early  this  morning, 
my  people  returned  from  the  Rainy  Lake. 
By  them  I  have  received  letters  from  home, 
which  have  given  me  more  satisfaction  than 
I  can  express.  My  friends  are  in  good  health, 
and  my  beloved  son  George  has  arrived 
safely  among  them.  For  these  blessings,  I 
cannot  be  sufficiently  thankful,  unless  a 
merciful  God  is  graciously  pleased  to  change 
my  heart  of  stone  into  a  heart  of  flesh. 


188  HARMON'S  JOURNAL. 

Friday,  November  6.  We  have  now  about 
six  inches  of  snow  on  the  ground. — On  the 
27th  ult.  I  set  out  for  McLeod's  Lake,  where 
I  arrived  on  the  29th.  I  there  found  Mr. 
John  Stuart,  who,  with  his  company,  arrive<l 
the  day  before,  from  Fort  Chipewyan.  Hifc 
men  are  on  their  way  to  the  Columbia 
Eiver,  down  which  they  will  proceed  under 
Mr.  J.  G.  McTavish.  The  coming  winter, 
they  will  pass  near  the  source  of  that  river. 
At  the  Pacific  Ocean,  it  is  expected  that 
they  will  meet  Donald  McTavish,  Esq.,  and 
company,  who  were  to  sail  from  England, 
last  October,  and  proceed  round  Cape  Horn 
to  the  mouth  of  Columbia  River.  This  after- 
noon Mr.  Stuart  and  myself,  with  our  com- 
pany, arrived  at  this  place,  (Stuart's  Lake) 
where  both  of  us,  God  willing,  shall  pass 
the  ensuing  winter.  With  us,  are  twenty-one 
labouring  men,  one  interpreter,  and  five 
women,  besides  children. 

Saturday,  January  23,  1813.  On  the  29th 
ult.  Mr.  Stuart  and  myself,  with  the  most 
of  our  people,  went  to  purchase  furs  and 
salmon,  at  Frazer's  Lake  and  Stillas.  The 
last  fall,  but  few  salmon  came  up  this  river. 
At  the  two  places,  above  mentioned,  we  were 
so  successful  as  to  be  able  to  procure  a  suf- 
ficient quantity.  While  at  Frazer's  Lake 
Mr.  Stuart,  our  interpreter  and  myself,  came 
near  being  massacred  by  the  Indians  of  that 
place,  on  account  of  the  interpreter's  wife, 
who  is  a  native  of  that  village.    Eighty  or 


HARMON'S  JOURNAL.  189 

ninety  of  the  Indians  armed  themselves,  some 
with  guns,  some  with  bows  and  arrows,  and 
others  with  axes  and  clubs,  for  the  purpose 
of  attacking  us.  By  mild  measures,  however, 
which  I  have  generally  found  to  be  the  best, 
in  the  management  of  the  Indians,  we  suc- 
ceeded in  appeasing  their  anger,  so  that  we 
suffered  no  injury ;  and  we  finally  sexiarated, 
to  appearance,  as  good  friends,  as  if  nothing 
unpleasant  had  occurred.  Those  who  are 
acquainted  with  the  disposition  of  the  Indians 
and  who  are  a  little  respected  by  them,  may, 
by  humouring  their  feelings,  generallj'',  con- 
troul  them,  almost  as  they  please. 

Sunday,  February  21.  Rocky  Mountain 
Portage  Fort.  Here  I  arrived  this  afternoon, 
accompanied  by  five  Canadians  and  one 
Carrier.  We  left  Stuart's  Lake  on  the  6th 
inst.  and  are  on  our  way  to  Dunvegan,  where 
I  am  going  to  transact  some  business  with 
Mr.  John  McGillivray,  who  is  there.  As  the 
mountains,  on  both  sides  of  the  river,  for 
the  distance  of  seventy  or  eighty  miles,  are 
very  lofty,  there  is  generally  a  strong  wind 
passing,  either  up  or  down  the  stream,  which, 
at  this  season,  renders  it  extremely'  cold  and 
disagreeable  travelling.  On  the  18th,  we 
were  in  the  heart  of  those  mountains;  and 
we  had  to  encounter  such  a  strong  head 
wind,  that  my  upper  lip  became  very  much 
frozen,  without  my  having  perceived  it  at 
the  time.  It  is  now  much  swollen,  and  very 
painful.    We  all  caught  severe  colds,  in  con- 


190  HARMON'S  JOURNAL. 

sequence  of  a  fall  of  snow  upon  us,  to  the 
depth  of  eight  inches,  after  we  had  encamped 
and  resigned  ourselves  to  sleep,  the  second 
night  after  leaving  Stuart's  Lake;  and  I  have 
become  unable  to  speak,  excepting  in  a 
whisper.  It  requires  indeed,  a  strong  con- 
stitution, to  conflict  with  the  hardships, 
incident  to  our  mode  of  life. 

We  here  find  no  person,  excepting  two  Ca- 
nadians. Mr.  A.  K,  McLeod,  who  has  charge 
of  this  place,  is  now  absent  on  a  visit  to  his 
hunter's  tent,  which  is  five  days'  march  from 
this.  From  such  a  distance,  provisions  are 
obtained  for  this  post,  as  there  are  very  few 
large  animals  at  this  season,  in  this  vicinity, 
in  consequence,  I  presume,  of  the  great  depth 
of  snow,  which  always  falls  in  places,  so  near 
the  mountain,  as  this.  The  people  who  are 
here  say,  that  the  hunters  had  such  diflSculty 
in  finding  animals  of  any  kind,  the  last  fall, 
that  they  all  passed  five  days,  without  any 
kind  of  food. 

Monday,  March  1.  Dunvegan.  I  have,  at 
length,  reached  this  place,  where  I  passed  the 
years  1809  and  1810,  and  revisiting  it,  many 
a  pleasing  scene  is  recalled  b^^  memory,  and 
many  hours  of  agreeable  conversation,  which 
I  passed,  with  the  gentlemen  who  were  then 
here,  rise  fresh  to  my  recollection. — Mr.  Mc- 
Gillivray  is  now  absent,  on  a  visit  to  the 
Lesser  Slave  Lake ;  and  Mr.  Collin  Campbell 
has  charge  of  the  fort. 

Sunday,  14.    Mr.  McGillivray  returned,  on 


HARMON'S  JOURNAL.  191 

the  10th  inst.  He  is  an  amiable  and  excellent 
man ;  and  I  have  enjoyed  his  society,  during 
my  short  stay  here,  very  highly.  Having 
completed  my  business  here,  I  shall  set  out 
tomorrow,  on  my  return  to  Stuart's  Lake. 
I  here  received  the  intelligence,  that  Niagara 
and  Makana  had  surrendered  to  the  British 
forces;  but  not  before  many  valuable  lives 
were  lost,  on  both  sides. 

Sunday,  April  4.  Stuart's  Lake.  We  left 
Dunvegan  on  the  16th  ult.  and  arrived  here 
this  evening,  without  having  experienced  any 
disaster  by  the  way. 

Saturday,  May  1.  Present  appearances 
justify  the  expectation,  that  the  ice  in  the 
river  will  soon  break  up,  so  that  our  people 
will  be  able  to  commence  their  journey  to  the 
Rainy  Lake  with  our  returns,  all  of  which 
we  have  sent  to  McLeod's  Lake,  together 
with  letters  to  people  in  this  country,  and  to 
our  friends  in  the  civilized  part  of  the  world. 

Thursday,  13.  The  weather  is  fine.  In  the 
early  part  of  the  day,  Mr.  J.  Stuart,  accom- 
panied by  six  Canadians  and  two  of  the 
Natives,  embarked  on  board  of  two  canoes, 
taking  with  him  a  small  assortment  of  goods, 
as  a  kind  of  pocket  money,  and  provisions 
sufficient  for  a  month  and  a  half.  They  are 
going  to  join  Mr.  J.  G.  McTavish  and  his 
company,  at  some  place  on  the  Columbia 
River;  and  to  proceed  with  them  to  the 
ocean.  Should  Mr.  Stuart  be  so  successful  as 
to  discover  a  water  communication,  between 


192  HARMOiN'S  JOURNAL. 

this  and  the  Columbia,  we  shall,  for  the 
future,  obtain  our  yearly  supply  of  goods 
by  that  route,  and  send  our  returns  out  that 
way,  to  be  shipped  directly  for  China,  in 
vessels  which  the  company,  in  that  case, 
design  to  build  on  the  North  West  coast. 
While  the  execution  of  this  comprehensive 
plan  is  committed  to  others,  my  more  humble 
employment,  in  which,  however,  I  am  quite 
as  sure  of  being  successful,  is  to  be,  the  sup- 
erintendence of  the  affairs  of  New  Caledonia. 
No  other  people,  perhaps,  who  pursue  busi- 
ness to  obtain  a  livelihood,  have  so  much 
leisure,  as  we  do.  Few  of  us  are  employed 
more,  and  many  of  us  much  less,  than  one 
fifth  of  our  time,  in  transacting  the  business 
of  the  Company.  The  remaining  four  fifths 
are  at  our  own  disposal.  If  we  do  not,  with 
such  an  opportunity,  improve  our  under 
standings,  the  fault  must  be  our  own;  for 
there  are  few  posts,  which  are  not  tolerably 
well  supplied  with  books.  These  books  are 
not,  indeed,  all  of  the  best  kind ;  but  among 
them  are  many  which  are  valuable.  If  I  were 
deprived  of  these  silent  companions,  many  a 
gloomy  hour  would  pass  over  me.  Even  with 
them,  my  spirit  at  times  sinks,  when  I  reflect 
on  the  great  length  of  time  which  has  elapsed, 
since  I  left  the  land  of  my  nativity,  and  my 
relatives  and  friends,  to  dwell  in  this  savage 
country.  These  gloomy  moments,  thank 
God,  occur  but  seldom,  and  soon  glide  away. 
A  little  reflection  reconciles  me  to  the  lot, 


HARMON'S  JOURNAL.  193 

which  Providence  has  assigned  me,  in  the 
world. 

Saturdny,  June  12.  A  Sicanny  has  just 
arrived,  who  states,  that  a  little  this  side  of 
McLeod's  Lake,  where  he  was  encamped  with 
his  famil}',  an  Indian  of  the  same  tribe, 
rushed  out  of  the  wood,  and  fired  upon  them, 
and  killed  his  wife.  Her  corpse  he  immedi- 
ately burned  upon  the  spot;  and  then,  with 
his  son  and  two  daughters,  he  proceeded 
directly  to  this  place.— All  the  savages,  who 
have  had  a  near  relation  killed,  are  never 
quiet  until  they  have  avenged  the  death, 
either  by  killing  the  murderer,  or  some  person 
nearly  related  to  him.  This  spirit  of  revenge 
has  occasioned  the  death  of  the  old  woman, 
above  mentioned,  and  she  undoubtedly,  de- 
served to  die ;  for,  the  last  summer,  she  per- 
suaded her  husband  to  go  and  kill  the  cousin 
of  her  murderer,  and  that,  merely  because 
her  own  son  had  been  drowned. — The  custom, 
which  extensively  prevails  among  the  Indians, 
of  revenging  the  natural  death  of  a  relative, 
by  the  commission  of  murder,  seems  to 
arise  from  a  superstitious  notion  entertained 
by  them,  that  death,  even  when  it  takes  place 
n  this  manner,  has,  in  some  mysterious  way, 
been  occasioned  by  a  fellow  creature. 

Sunday,  20.  Yesterday,  an  Indian  of  this 
village  killed  another,  who  was  on  a  visit 
from  the  other  end  of  this  lake,  just  as  he 
was  entering  his  canoe  to  return.  The  former 
approached  the  latter,  and  gave  him  five 
13 


194  HARMON'S  JOURNAL. 

stabs  with  a  lance,  and  ripped  open  his 
bowels,  in  such  a  shocking  manner,  that  his 
entrails  immediately  fell  upon  the  ground ; 
and  he,  of  course,  instantly  expired.  The 
murderer  made  his  escape;  and  the  chief  of 
the  village,  wrapped  the  corpse  in  a  moose 
skin,  and  sent  it  to  his  relations.  Notwith- 
standing this  conciliatory  act,  the  people  of 
this  place  are  apprehensive,  that  the  relations 
of  the  person  murdered,  will  make  war  upon 
them;  and  they  will,  therefore,  set  out  to- 
morrow, to  go  a  considerable  distance  down 
this  river,  where  they  will  pass  a  greater 
part  of  the  summer,  until  harmony  is  re 
stored  between  the  two  villages. — This  mur- 
derer has  a  wife,  who  is  known  to  be  a 
worthless  woman,  with  whom  he  supposed 
that  the  person  murdered  had  had  improper 
intercourse ;  and  it  was  to  revenge  this,  that 
the  act  was  committed. — All  the  Carriers  are 
extremely  jealous  of  their  wives;  while,  to 
their  unmarried  daughters,  they  cheerfully 
allow  every  liberty  I 

Thursday,  August  12.  Salmon  begin  to 
make  their  appearance  in  this  river,  which 
is  a  joyful  event  to  us ;  for  the  stock  of  pro- 
visions which  we  have  in  the  fort,  is  suflBcient, 
but  for  a  few  d&js,  and  the  Natives,  for  some 
time  past,  have  suffered  greatly  for  the  want 
of  food.  We  ought  to  be  thankful  to  our 
merciful  Preserver  and  Benefactor,  who  con- 
tinually watches  over  us,  and  supplies  our 
wants.    Often  has  he  appeared  for  our  relief, 


HAEMON'S  JOURNAL.  195 

when  we  were  in  urgent  need,  and  taught  us, 
that  he  is  the  proper  object  of  our  confidence. 
Wednesday,  September  1.  A  few  days  since, 
Mr.  McDougall  arrived  here  from  MoLeod's 
Lake,  and  took  all  the  people,  belonging  to 
this  fort,  with  him  to  Pinchy,  to  gather  ber- 
ries. Having  been  left  entirely  alone,  I  have 
had  a  favourable  opportunity  for  serious 
reflection,  and  for  self  examination ;  and  I 
have  been  disposed  to  employ  it  for  this  pur- 
pose. On  reviewing  the  exercises  of  my  heart, 
and  the  course  of  my  conduct,  during  my 
past  life,  I  have  been  filled  with  astonishment 
and  with  grief,  in  view  of  my  wide  departures 
from  the  path  of  duty.  My  sins  have  risen 
in  gloomy  array  before  me,  and  I  have  been 
led  to  feel,  that  I  am,  indeed,  the  chief  of 
sinners;  and  that,  on  account  of  my  trans- 
gressions, I  deserve  to  be  banished  forever 
from  the  gracious  presence  of  God,  and  to  be 
consigned  to  the  world  of  future  misery. 
This  view  of  my  guilt  would  have  been  over- 
whelming, had  not  God  been  graciously 
pleased,  as  I  trust,  to  reveal  the  Saviour  to 
me,  in  his  glorious  fullness,  as  an  all  sufficient 
and  an  accepted  Mediator  between  sinful  men 
and  the  offended  majesty  of  heaven.  He  has 
appeared  to  me  amiable  in  himself,  and  en- 
tirely suited  to  my  necessities ;  and  I  humbly 
hope  that  I  have  committed  my  soul  to  him, 
to  be  washed  from  the  defilement  of  sin  in 
his  blood,  to  be  accepted  of  God  through  his 
intercession,   and    to    be    sanctified    by   his 


196  HARMON'S  JOURNAL. 

Spirit.  The  change  in  my  views  and  feel- 
ings, is  certainly  great;  and  it  is  surprising 
to  myself.  What  I  once  considered  as  the 
foibles  and  follies  of  my  youth,  now  appear 
to  be  grievous  sins,  against  a  righteous  and 
a  long  suffering  God ;  and  a  religious  course 
of  life,  I  regard  as  the  path,  not  only  of  wis- 
dom, but  of  happiness;  and  by  the  aid  of 
Divine  grace,  it  is  my  resolution,  for  the 
time  to  come,  to  labour  after  a  compliance 
with  every  Divine  requirement. 

Until  this  day,  I  have  always  doubted 
whether  such  a  Saviour  as  the  scriptures  de- 
scribe, ever  really  existed,  and  appeared  on 
earth !  So  blind  was  I,  that  I  could  see  no 
necessity  for  an  atoning  Mediator  between 
God  and  men.  Before  I  left  the  civilized  part 
of  the  world,  I  had  frequently  heard  the 
cavils  of  infidelity  urged;  and  these  cavils 
followed  me  into  the  wilderness,  frequently 
came  fresh  to  my  recollection,  and  con- 
tributed to  overshadow  my  mind  with  the 
gloomy  doubts  of  infidelity.  My  intention, 
however,  was,  by  no  means  to  cast  off  all 
religion;  but,  I  attempted  to  frame  to  myself 
a  religion,  which  would  comport  with  my 
feelings,  and  \\ith  my  manner  of  life. — For 
several  years  past,  however,  my  mind  has 
not  been  at  rest.  I  was  taught  in  early  life, 
by  parents  whom  I  respected  and  loved,  the 
truths  and  duties  of  Christianity ;  and  I  had 
a  wish  to  believe  in  the  same  religion  which 
they  professed,  and  from  which,  I  have   fre- 


HARMON'S  JOURNAL.  197 

quently  heard  them  say,  they  derived  the 
most  substantial  consolation.  I,  therefore, 
some  time  since,  commenced  reading  the 
Bible,  with  more  attention  than  I  had  before 
done;  for,  from  my  youth  up,  I  had  been 
accustomed  to  read  it.  I  also  read  all  other 
books  that  I  could  find,  which  treated  of  the 
christian  religion.  Some  excellent  notes,  re- 
specting the  Saviour,  in  the  Universal  History, 
affected  my  mind  much;  as  did,  also,  the 
serious  letters  which  I  received,  every  year, 
from  my  brother  Stephen.  I  also  praj^ed  a 
gracious  God  to  enable  me  to  believe  on  1  is 
Son,  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  As  I  was  pray- 
ing to-day,  on  a  sudden,  the  faith,  respecting 
which  I  was  so  solicitous,  was,  I  trust,  gra- 
ciously granted  to  me.  My  views  of  the  Sav- 
iour,- underwent  a  total  change.  I  was  en- 
abled, not  only  to  believe  in  his  existence, 
but  to  apprehend  his  superlative  excellency; 
and  now  he  appears  to  be,  in  truth,  what 
the  scriptures  describe  him  to  be,  the  chiefest 
among  ten  thousand,  and  one  altogether 
lovely.  May  the  grace  of  God  enable  me  to 
follow  his  heavenly  example  through  life, 
that  I  may  dwell  with  him  in  glory,  forever  I 
As  I  seem  to  myself  to  have  hitherto  led 
a  more  wicked  life  than  the  rest  of  my  fellow 
creatures,  I  deem  it  proper,  for  the  time  to 
come,  to  devote  the  first  day  of  every  month 
to  religious  fasting,  employing  it  in  reading 
the  scriptures,  in  devout  meditation,  and  in 
prayer,  that  I  may  keep  in  mind  the  great 


198  HARMON'S  JOURNAL. 

business  of  life,  which  I  now  consider  to  be^ 
a  preparation  for  eternity.  My  prayer  shall 
ever  be,  that  a  gracious  God  would  be 
pleased  to  blot  out  my  numberless  and  ag- 
gravated transgressions,  for  the  sake  of  the 
atonement  which  Jesus  has  made;  and  that 
he  would  keep  me,  by  his  grace,  without 
which,  I  am  convinced  I  can  do  nothing 
acceptable  to  him,  in  the  path  of  holiness, 
until  it  shall  terminate  in  heavenly  glory. 

Tuesday,  7.  I  have  this  day  composed 
two  prayers,  which  I  design  to  use  regularly 
and  devoutly,  morning  and  evening.  It  is 
not  only  a  duty,  but  a  privilege,  thus  to  ap- 
proach the  mercy  seat  of  the  great  Sovereign 
of  the  Universe,  in  the  name  of  a  prevalent 
Intercessor,  and  to  supplicate  the  numerous 
blessings  which  we  need,  as  well  as  to  give 
thanks  for  those  which  we  are  continually 
receiving. 

Saturday,  25.  An  Indian  has  arrived,  from 
a  considerable  distance  down  this  river,  who 
has  delivered  to  me  three  letters  from  Mr.  J. 
Stuart.  The  last  of  them  is  dated  at  0-ke- 
na-gun  Lake,  which  is  situated  at  a  short 
distance  from  the  Columbia  River.  Mr. 
Stuart  writes,  that  he  met  with  every  kind- 
ness and  assistance  from  the  Natives,  on 
his  way  to  that  place ;  that,  after  descending 
this  river,  during  eight  days,  he  was  under 
the  necessity  of  leaving  his  canoes,  and  of 
taking  his  property  on  horses,  more  than 
one  hundred  and  fifty  miles,  to  the  above 


HARMON'S  JOURNAL.  199 

mentioned  Lake.  From  that  place,  he  states. 
that  they  can  go  all  the  way  by  water,  to 
the  Ocean,  by  making  a  few  portages;  and 
he  hopes  to  reach  the  Pacific  Ocean,  in  twelve 
or  fifteen  days,  at  farthest.  They  will  be  de- 
layed, for  a  time,  where  they  are,  by  the 
necessary  construction  of  canoes. 

Friday,  October  1.  The  first  of  my  ap- 
pointe  days  of  religious  fasting,  has  arrived ; 
and  I  have  endeavoured  to  observe  it,  agree- 
ably to  my  resolution. 

Sunday,  November  7.  This  afternoon,  Mr. 
Joseph  La  Roque  and  company  arrived  from 
the  Columbia  River.  This  gentleman  went, 
the  last  summer,  with  Mr.  J.  G.  McTavish 
and  his  party,  to  the  Pacific  Ocean.  On  their 
return,  they  met  Mr.  Stuart  and  his  company. 
Mr.  La  Roque,  accompanied  by  two  of  Mr. 
Stuart's  men,  set  off  thence,  to  come  to  this 
place,  by  the  circuitous  way  of  Red  Deer 
River,  Lesser  Slave  Lake,  and  Dunvegan, 
from  which  last  place,  they  were  accompanied 
by  my  people,  who  have  been,  this  summer, 
to  the  Rainy  Lake.  By  them  I  have  received 
a  number  of  letters  from  people  in  this 
country,  and  from  my  friends  in  the  United 
States. 

Tuesday,  December  14,  On  the  Ist  inst.  I 
set  out  for  McLeod's  Lake;  and  I  there  re- 
ceived several  letters  from  my  brothers  below, 
which  announce  the  truly  afflicting  intelli- 
gence, that  my  beloved  son  George  is  no 
longer   to  be  numbered  among  the  living  I 


200  HARMON'S  JOURNAL. 

He  was  in  good  health  on  the  second  of 
March  last,  and  a  corpse  on  the  eighteenth 
of  the  same  month.— For  some  time,  I  could 
scarcely  credit  this  intelligence ;  though  I  had 
no  reason  to  doubt  its  truth.  This  dispen- 
sation of  divine  providence  is  so  unexpected, 
and  so  afflictive,  that  at  first,  I  could  scarce- 
ly bear  up  under  it,  with  a  becoming  chris- 
tian resignation.  My  tenderest  affection  was 
placed  upon  this  darling  boy;  and  I  fondly 
hoped,  that  he  would  be  the  solace  of  my  de- 
clining years.  But  how  delusive  was  this  ex- 
pectation !  How  frail  and  perishing  are  all 
earthly  objects  and  enjoyments.  A  few  days 
since,  in  my  imagination,  I  was  often  wander- 
ing with  delight,  to  the  remote  land  of  my 
kindred,  and  parental  love  centered  in  this 
promising  son,  for  whom,  principally,  I  wished 
to  live,  and  for  whom  I  would  have  been 
willing  to  die.  Perhaps  this  child  occupied 
a  place  in  my  heart,  which  my  God  and 
Saviour  only  may  of  right  occupy.  I  hope 
that  this  affliction  may  be  the  means  of  dis- 
engaging my  affections  from  an  inordinate 
attachment  to  earthly  objects;  and  that  it 
may  induce  me  to  fix  my  confidence  and  hope 
on  things,  which  will  never  disappoint  my  ex- 
pectation. The  Judge  of  all  the  earth  has 
done  right;  and  it  becomes  me  to  be  still 
and  know,  that  he  is  God.  I,  too,  must  soon 
die ;  and  this  dispensation  is,  perhaps,  a  sea- 
sonable warning  to  me,  to  be  prepared  to 
meet  my  own  dissolution.    I  desire  that  the 


HARMON'S  JOURNAL.  201 

Holy  Spirit  may  sanctify  this  affliction  to 
me,  and  make  it  subservient  to  this  impor- 
tant end. 

On  my  return  from  McLeod's  Lake,  I  was 
accompanied  by  Mr.  McDougall  and  family, 
who  came  to  mourn  with  me,  and  the  mother 
of  my  departed  son,  the  loss  of  this  dear 
object  of  our  mutual  affection. — Her  distress, 
on  receiving  this  intelligence,  was  greater, 
if  possible,  than  my  own.  I  endeavoured, 
by  some  introductory  remarks,  on  the  uncer- 
tainty of  earthly  things,  to  prepare  her  mind 
for  the  disclosure,  which  I  was  about  to 
make.  Her  fears  were  alarmed,  by  these 
remarks;  and,  probably,  she  discovered  in 
my  countenance,  something  to  confirm  them. 
WTien  I  informed  her  that  our  beloved  son 
George  was  dead,  she  looked  at  me,  with  a 
wild  stare  of  agony,  and  immediately  threw 
herself  upon  the  bed,  where  she  continued, 
in  a  state  of  delirium,  during  the  succeeding 
night. 

Saturday,  January  22,  1814.  On  the  4th 
inst.  Mr.  McDougall  and  family,  left  this 
place,  to  return  home.  They  were  accompa- 
nied by  two  men,  who  have  gone  to  Peace 
River,  with  letters.— The  same  day,  Mr.  La 
Eoque  and  myself,  accompanied  by  fourteen 
of  my  people,  went  to  Frazer's  Lake.  On  the 
9th  I  sent  him,  accompanied  with  two  Ca- 
nadians and  two  Indians,  with  letters  to  the 
people,  who  are  on  the  Columbia  River. 
After  having  purchased  what  furs  I  could, 


202  HARMON'S  JOURNAL. 

and  a  euflBcient  quantity  of  salmon,  I  set 
out  on  my  return  home,  where  I  arrived 
this  evening. 

Friday,  February  4.  This  evening,  Mr. 
Donald  McLeunen  and  company,  arrived  here 
from  the  Columbia  Department,  with  a  pack- 
et of  letters.  One  of  these  is  from  Mr.  John 
Stuart,  informing  me  that  the  last  autumn, 
the  North  West  Company  purchased  of  the 
Pacific  Fur  Company,  all  the  furs  which  they 
had  bought  of  the  Natives,  and  all  the  goods 
which  they  had  on  hand.  The  people  who 
were  engaged  in  the  service  of  that  company, 
are  to  have  a  passage,  the  next  summer,  to 
Montreal,  in  the  canoes  of  the  North  West 
Company,  unless  they  choose  to  enter  into 
our  service. 

Sunday,  April  17.  As  the  ice  appears  to  be 
out  of  this  river,  I  have  sent  Mr.  McLeunen, 
accompanied  by  two  Canadians,  in  a  small 
canoe,  with  letters  to  the  gentlemen  on  Co- 
lumbia River.  I  am,  therefore,  deprived  of 
an  agreeable  companion,  who,  I  expected 
until  lately,  would  pass  the  summer  with  me. 
— Happy  are  those,  who  have  an  amiable 
and  intelligent  friend,  with  whom  they  can, 
at  pleasure,  converse. 

Friday,  22.  Sent  off  my  people  to  Mc- 
Leod's  Lake,  in  order  that  they  may  be  in 
readiness  to  embark  for  the  Rainy  Lake,  as 
soon  as  the  navigation  opens.  By  them  I 
have,  as  usual,  forwarded  my  letters,  and 
accounts  of  the  place.    If  God  permit,  I  shall 


HARMON'S  JOURNAL.  203 

pass  another  summer  at  this  place,  havt 
with  me  ten  persons. 

As  this  is  the  only  season  of  the  year  v^h^^ 
we  can  leave  this  country,  now  it  is,  that  we 
have  the  most  ardent  desire  of  visiting  the 
land  of  our  nativity.  At  other  seasons,  the 
impossibility  of  a  departure,  suppresses  the 
rising  wish  to  go,  stern  necessity  binds  us  to 
our  situation,  and  we  rest  in  quietude  until 
the  return  of  another  spring.  Then  all  the 
finer  feelings  of  affection  take  possession  of 
our  souls;  and  their  strength  seems  to  be 
increased,  by  the  previous  restraint,  v/hich 
had  been  laid  upon  them. 

Saturday,  May  7.  The  weather  is  fine 
and  vegetation  is  far  advanced,  for  the  sea- 
son. This  lake  is  clear  of  ice;  and  the  frost 
is  chiefly  out  of  the  ground.  Swans, 
bustards,  and  ducks,  are  numerous  in  the 
rivers  and  lakes;  and,  during  the  last  ten 
days,  an  incredible  number  of  cranes  have 
passed  this,  on  their  way  to  the  north ;  but 
none  of  them  stopped  here. 

Three  Indians  have  come  to  this  place 
from  Frazer's  Lake,  to  obtain  the  piece  of  a 
garment,  belonging  to  an  Indian  of  that 
place,  which  they  say,  was  cut  off  by  an 
Indian  of  this  village.  They  are  so  super- 
stitious as  firmly  to  believe,  that,  by  virtue 
of  this  piece  of  garment,  the  Indian,  who  has 
it  in  his  possession,  is  able  to  destroy  the  life 
of  its  owner,  at  pleasure. 

Friday,  August  o.    Salmon  begin  to  come 


204  HAKMON'S  JOURNAL. 

up  this  river.  They  are  generally  to  be  taken, 
in  considerable  numbers,  until  the  latter 
part  of  September.  During  about  a  month, 
they  come  up  in  multitudes ;  and  we  can  take 
any  number  of  them  that  we  please. 

Tuesday,  September  20.  We  have  had 
but  few  salmon  here,  this  year.  It  is  only 
in  every  second  season,  that  they  are  very 
numerous ;  the  reason  of  which,  I  am  unable 
to  assign. 

I  have  sent  an  Indian,  with  letters,  to 
Dunvegan,  on  Peace  River,  which  is  distant 
from  this  place,  at  least,  five  hundred  miles. 

Friday,  30.  We  have  had  but  a  few  sal- 
mon in  this  river,  during  the  past  season. 
We  hope,  however,  that  a  kind  Providence 
has  sent  them  to  some  of  our  neighbouring 
villages,  where  we  shall  be  able  to  purchase 
what  will  be  necessary,  in  addition  to  the 
white  fish,  which  we  expect  to  take,  for  our 
consumption,  during  the  ensuing  winter.  But 
let  my  condition  be  ever  so  deplorable,  I 
am  resolved  to  place  all  my  dependence  on 
that  Being,  who  depends  on  no  one. 

Tuesday,  October  18.  This  afternoon,  I 
was  agreeably  surprised  by  the  arrival  of 
Mr.  J.  La  Roque  and  company,  in  two 
canoes,  laden  with  goods,  from  Fort  George, 
at  the  mouth  of  the  Columbia  River,  which 
place  they  left,  the  latter  part  of  last  Au- 
gust. Our  vessels  arrived  there,  in  the 
months  of  March  and  April ;  and,  soon  after, 
one  of  them  set  sail  again,  loaded  with  furs. 


HARMON'S  JOURNAL.  205 

for  Canton  in  China.— Mr.  La  Roque  brings 
the  melancholy  intelligence,  that  Messrs.  D. 
McTavish,  Alexander  Henry,  and  five  sailors 
were  drowned,  on  the  22d  of  May  last,  in 
going  out  in  a  boat,  from  fort  George,  to 
the  vessel  called  the  Isaac  Tod,  which  lay 
at  anchor  without  the  bar,  in  going  over 
which,  this  disaster  befel  them.  With  the 
former  gentleman,  I  passed  two  winters  at 
Dunvegan,  on  Peace  River.  He  stood  high 
in  my  esteem,  and  I  considered  him  as  one 
of  my  best  friends;  and  I  shall  ever  lament 
the  sad  catastrophe,  which  has  thus  suddenly 
removed  him  from  my  society,  and  from 
all  earthly  scenes.  I  hope  that  I  may  not 
be  regardless  of  the  admonition,  addressed 
to  me  by  this  providence,  to  be  also  ready 
for  my  departure,  to  the  world  of  spirits. 

Monday,  24.  Sent  Mr.  La  Roque,  and 
the  people  who  came  up  with  him,  to  re- 
establish the  post  at  Frazer's  Lake. 

Saturdny,  29.  My  people  have  returned 
from  the  Rainy  Lake,  and  delivered  me  let- 
ters from  my  relatives  below.  They  afford 
me  renewed  proof  of  the  uncertainty  of  earthly 
objects  and  enjoyments,  in  the  intelligence, 
that  a  brother's  wife  has  been  cut  down  by 
death,  in  the  midst  of  her  days,  leaving  a 
disconsolate  husband,  and  two  young  chil- 
dren, to  mourn  over  her  early  departure.  I 
ought,  however,  to  be  thankful,  that  the 
rest  of  my  numerous  relatives,  are  blessed 
with   health,    and   a  reasonable  portion  of 


206  HAEMON'S  JOURNAL. 

earthly  comforts.  I  have  also  received  a 
letter  from  Mr.  John  Stuart,  who  has  ar- 
rived at  McLeod's  Lake,  desiring  me  to  go 
and  superintend  the  affairs  at  Frazer's  Lake, 
and  to  send  Mr.  La  Koque,  with  several 
of  the  people  who  are  there,  to  this  place, 
that  they  may  return  to  the  Columbia  de- 
partment, where  it  is  presumed  they  will  be 
more  wanted,  than  in  tliis  quarter.  To- 
morrow, therefore,  I  shall  depart  for  Frazer's 
Lake. 

Thursday,  November  3.  Frazer's  Lake. 
Here  we  arrived  this  afternoon,  and  found 
Mr.  La  Roque  and  his  people,  busily  em- 
ployed, in  bartering  with  the  Natives,  for 
furs  and  salmon,  and  in  constructing  houses. 
With  this  gentleman,  I  have  spent  a  pleasant 
evening ;  and  I  am  happy  to  find  that,  from 
having  been  thoughtless  and  dissolute,  he 
now  appears  to  be  the  reverse  of  this.  It  is 
manifest,  that  he  has  recently  reflected  much, 
on  the  vanity  of  this  world,  and  on  the  im- 
portance of  the  concerns  of  eternity ;  and  he 
now  appears  determined,  by  the  aids  of 
God's  Holy  Spirit,  on  a  thorough  reforma- 
tion. May  he  be  enabled  to  persevere  in 
this  important  undertaking. 

Tuesday,  December  20.  Messrs.  Stuart 
and  McDougall,  with  a  number  of  men,  have 
arrived  from  Stuart's  Lake,  for  the  purpose 
of  proceeding  with  me  to  Stilla,  in  order  to 
purchase  salmon.  The  Indians  of  this  vil- 
lage have  not  a  sufficiency  for  themselves  and 


HARMON'S  JOURNAL.  207 

for  us,  owing  to  the  scarcity  of  salmon  at 
several  neighbouring  villages,  whose  inhab- 
itants flock  to  this  place,  in  hopes  of  ob- 
taining a  subsistence,  during  the  winter. 

Saturday,  January  7,  1815.  On  the  29th 
ult.  I  accompanied  my  two  friends  to  Stuart's 
Lake,  where  we  passed  the  holidays  together, 
in  the  intercourse  of  an  intimate  and  endear- 
ing friendship.  Each  related  how  he  had 
passed  his  youthful  days,  and  even  in  what 
manner  he  had  lived  to  the  present  hour; 
and  we  all  readily  acknowledged,  that  our 
lives  had  been  very  different  from  what  we 
then  wished  they  had  been.  I  hope  and 
believe,  that  we  all  parted,  fully  determined 
on  a  thorough  reformation  of  conduct.  May 
none  of  us  fail  to  carry  this  resolution  into 
effect. 

Friday,  February  3.  During  the  whole 
of  the  last  month,  it  has  been  the  coldest 
weather,  by  far,  that  I  have  ever  experi- 
enced, in  New  Caledonia. 

On  the  11th  ult.  accompanied  by  six  of 
my  people  and  two  of  the  Natives,  I  set 
out  to  visit  the  lands  of  the  Nas-koo-tains, 
which  lie  along  Frazer's  River.  This  river 
Mr.  Stuart  followed  some  distance,  when 
he  left  this  place  to  proceed  to  the  Columbia 
River.  The  above  mentioned  Indians  never 
had  any  intercourse  with  the  white  people, 
until  I  went  among  them.  We  reached  their 
first  village,  on  the  19th;  but  as  they  were 
nearly  destitute  of  provisions,  and  we  had 


208  HARMON'S  JOURNAL. 

expended  those  which  we  took  with  us  from 
this  place,  we  passed  only  one  night  with 
them.  The  next  morning,  we  continued 
our  route  down  the  river,  every  day  passing 
one  or  two  small  villages,  until  the  22d, 
when  we  met  people  from  the  Columbia  River, 
with  letters,  &c. 

Frazer's  River  is  about  fifty  rods  wide, 
and  has  a  pretty  strong  current.  On  the 
north  side,  the  bank  is  generaly  high;  but, 
on  the  other,  it  is  low,  and  the  country  is 
level.  In  going  from  this,  to  the  place  where 
we  fell  upon  the  river,  we  occupied  nine  days, 
and  the  country  which  we  passed  over,  is 
very  uneven.  We,  however,  crossed  several 
ponds  and  small  lakes,  which  were  from 
one  to  fifteen  miles  in  length.  At  these 
waters,  the  Natives  pass  the  greater  part  of 
the  summer,  and  subsist  on  excellent  white 
fish,  trout  and  carp ;  but,  towards  the  latter 
part  of  August,  they  return  to  the  banks 
of  the  river,  in  order  to  take  and  dry  salmon, 
for  their  subsistence  during  the  succeeding 
winter. 

Sunday,  12.  As  salmon  are  becoming 
rather  scarce  among  the  Indians  of  this 
village,  they  are  preparing  to  visit  the  neigh- 
bouring lakes,  in  order  to  obtain  a  subsist- 
ence, from  the  fish  that  they  hope  to  be 
able  to  take  out  of  them. 

Mondny,  27.  The  weather  is  serene  and 
cold ;  and  thus  far,  this  has  been  much  the 
coldest  winter  that  I  have  experienced  in  this 


HARMON'S  JOURNAL.  209 

part  of  the  country.— The  winters  are,  gen- 
erally milder  here,  than  in  most  parts  of 
the  North  West.  Mr.  Stuart  has  just  left 
me,  on  his  return  home.  The  few  days  which 
he  has  spent  here,  were  passed  much  to  our 
mutual  satisfaction;  and  I  hope  that  we 
shall  reap  some  benefit  from  this  visit.  Re- 
ligion was  the  principal  topic,  on  which  we 
conversed,  because,  to  both  of  us,  it  was 
more  interesting  than  any  other.  Indeed, 
what  ought  to  interest  us  so  much,  as  that 
which  concerns  our  eternal  welfare?  I,  at 
times,  almost  envy  the  satisfaction  of  those, 
who  live  among  christian  people,  with  whom 
they  can  converse,  at  pleasure,  on  the  great 
things  of  religion,  as  it  must  be  a  source 
of  much  satisfaction,  and  of  gTeat  advantage, 
to  a  pious  mind. 

Thursday,  April  6.  About  ten  days  since, 
an  Indian  of  this  place  lost  his  wife,  after 
a  lingering  illness  of  several  months;  and, 
shortly  after,  the  disconsolate  husband  hung 
himself  from  the  limb  of  a  tree.  For  several 
days  previous  to  the  fatal  act,  he  appeared 
to  be  much  cast  down,  which  being  observed 
by  his  companions,  they  endeavoured  to  cheer 
his  spirits,  by  the  consideration,  that  what 
had  befallen  him,  had  been  suffered  by  mul- 
titudes of  others,  and  was  the  common  lot. 
He  replied  that  he  should  conduct  as  his 
own  feelings  dictated;  and  that  he  had  not 
forgotten  the  request  of  his  dying  companion, 
which  was,  that  he  would  accompany  her. 
14 


210  HARMON'S  JOURNAL. 

Not  long  after,  he  was  missing;  and,  search 
being  made  for  him,  he  was  found  in  the 
situation  above  mentioned.  The  strength 
of  conjugal  attachment  is  not  an  unfrequent 
cause  of  suicide,  in  every  part  of  the  Indian 
country. 

Monday,  24.  The  snow  is  fast  leaving  us, 
and  fowls  begin  to  come  from  the  south. 

Wednesday,  26.  I  have  sent  letters  to 
my  friends  below,  to  Stuart's  Lake,  which 
place  they  will  leave,  on  their  way,  the  first 
of  next  month.  I  expect  to  pass  the  ensuing 
summer  here,  having  but  a  few  people  with 
me.  But,  by  dividing  my  time  between  read- 
ing, meditation  and  exercise,  I  hope  that 
it  will  pass  not  unpleasantly,   away. 

Wednesday,  May  10.  We  have  surrounded 
a  piece  of  ground  with  palisades,  foragarden, 
in  which  we  have  planted  a  few  potatoes, 
and  sowed  onion,  carrot,  beet  and  parsnip 
seeds,  and  a  little  barley.  I  have,  also, 
planted  a  very  little  Indian  corn,  without 
the  expectation  that  it  will  come  to  maturity. 
The  nights  in  this  region  are  too  cool,  and 
the  summers  are  too  short,  to  admit  of  its 
ripening.  There  is  not  a  month  in  the  whole 
year,  in  which  water  does  not  congeal; 
though  the  air  in  the  day  time,  in  the  sum- 
mer, is  warm,  and  we  even  have  a  few  days 
of  sultry  weather. — The  soil,  in  many  places 
in  New  Caledonia,  is  tolerably  good. 

Tuesday,  May  30.  I  have  just  returned 
from  a  visit  to  Mr.  Stuart,  who  passes  the 


HARMON'S  JOURNAL.  211 

summer  at  Stuart's  Lake.  On  the  mountain, 
which  I  crossed  in  going  there,  I  found  snow, 
two  feet,  at  least,  in  depth. 

FrkL-iv,  June  16.  Soon  after  the  Natives 
left  their  village,  last  February,  to  go  to 
the  small  lakes,  for  the  purpose  of  taking 
fish,  four  of  their  number  deceased.  Their 
corpses  were  kept,  bj'  their  relations,  to  the 
present  time,  when  they  are  bringing  them 
to  the  village  in  order  to  burn  them.  Little 
else  but  the  skeletons,  now  remain. — In  the 
winter  season,  the  Carriers  often  keep  their 
dead  in  their  huts  during  five  or  six  months, 
before  they  will  allow  them  to  be  burned. 
At  this  season,  the  coldness  of  the  weather 
enables  them  to  keep  the  bodies,  without 
their  becoming  offensive;  and  they  are  un- 
willing that  the  lifeless  remains  of  the  objects 
of  their  affection,  should  be  removed  forever 
from  their  sight,  until  it  becomes  a  matter 
of  necessity. 

Sunday,  18.  This  afternoon  eight  of  the 
Nate-ote-tains  came  to  pay  a  visit  to  the 
Indians  of  this  village,  by  whom  they  were, 
at  first,  treated  in  a  friendly  manner.  Soon 
after  their  arrival,  they  began  to  play,  as  is 
the  custom  of  the  Indians,  whenever  the 
people  of  different  villages  meet.  Things 
proceeded  smoothly,  until  the  strangers 
began  to  be  winners,  when  disputes  arose. 
An  open  contest  was  prevented,  by  the  res- 
toration of  the  property  won ;  but  a  coolness 
between  the  parties,  was  visible.    The  stran- 


212  HARMON'S  JOURNAL. 

gers  soon  set  out,  to  return  home ;  but  as  they 
were  embarking  in  their  canoes,  a  worthless 
fellow  fired  upon  them,  and  killed  one  of 
them.  This  disaster  caused  them  to  hasten 
their  departure,  uttering  at  the  same  time 
the  threat,  that  they  would  soon  return, 
with  a  large  band  of  their  relations,  to 
revenge  the  death  of  their  companion. — 
Human  life  is  often  sacrificed  for  a  trifle, 
among  the  savages;  and  he  only  may  feel 
secure,  who  is  prepared  to  oppose  strength 
to  aggression. 

Monday,  July  24.  Fruits,  of  various 
kinds,  now  begin  to  ripen.  Of  this  delicious 
food,  the  present  prospect  is,  that  we  shall 
soon  have  an  abundance;  and  for  this  favour, 
it  becomes  us  to  be  grateful  to  the  Bestower. 
The  person  who  is  surrounded  with  the  com- 
forts of  civilized  life,  knows  not  how  we 
prize  these  delicacies  of  the  wilderness.  Our 
circumstances,  also,  teach  us  to  enjoy  and 
to  value  the  intercourse  of  friendship.  To 
be  connected,  and  to  have  intercourse,  with 
a  warm  and  disinterested  friend,  who  is  able, 
and  will  be  faithful,  to  point  out  our  faults, 
and  to  direct  us  by  his  good  counsel,  is 
surely  a  great  blessing.  Such  a  friend,  I 
have,  in  my  nearest  neighbour,  Mr.  Stuart. 
For  some  time  past,  he  has  frequently  writ- 
ten to  me  long,  entertaining  and  instructive 
letters,  which  are  a  cordial  to  my  spirits, 
too  often  dejected,  by  the  loneliness  of  my 
situation,  and  more  frequently,  by  reflections 


HARMON'S  JOURNAL.  213 

on  my  past  life  of  folly  and  of  ein.  Mr. 
James  McDougall,  also,  another  gentleman  in 
this  department,  is  equally  dear  to  me.  His 
distance  from  me,  renders  intercourse  less 
practicable;  but  when  we  meet,  we  endeavour 
to  make  up  in  conversation,  for  our  long 
separation. 

Friday,  August  4.  The  holy  scriptures 
contain  the  most  abundant  instruction,  in  re- 
gard to  the  duties  which  we  owe  to  God,  and  to 
ourfellowcreatures.  To  aid  mein  keepingthese 
instructions,  habitually  and  distinctly  in  view, 
that  my  life  may  thereby  be  more  exemplary, 
I  think  proper  to  form  the  following  resolu- 
tions, which  I  hope,  by  the  aid  of  the  Holy 
Spirit,  to  be  enabled  to  observe,  during  my 
life. 

Eesolved,  that  the  scoffs  of  the  wicked,  di- 
rected against  serious  religion,  shall  never 
have  any  other  effect  upon  me,  than  to 
make  me  strive,  the  more  earnestly,  to  lead 
the  life  of  a  sincere  christian. 

Resolved,  to  be  in  the  company  of  the 
wicked,  as  little  as  possible ;  and  when  among 
such  people,  to  endeavour  to  persuade  them 
in  such  a  way  as  may  be  consistent  with 
propriety,  to  forsake  their  evil  courses. 

Resolved,  to  assist  the  poor  and  needy, 
so  far  as  may  be  consistent  with  my  means ; 
hoping  that  avarice  may  never  prevent  me 
from  judging  correctly,  in  regard  to  this 
eubject. 

Resolved,  never  to  let  a  day  pass,  when 


214  HARMON'S  JOURNAL. 

at  home,  or  when  convenient,  abroad,  with- 
out reading  a  portion  of  the  holy  scrip- 
tures, and  spending  half  an  hour  or  more, 
in  meditating  on  what  I  have  read ;  and  that 
the  whole  of  the  Sabbath,  when  it  is  not  in 
my  power  to  attend  publick  worship,  shall 
be  spent  in  prayer,  reading  the  bible,  or 
sermons,  or  some  other  religious  book,  in 
self  examination,  and  in  meditating  on  the 
eternal  world. 

Kesolved,  to  offer  up  daily  prayers  to 
the  throne  of  grace,  for  a  right  temper  of 
mind,  that  I  may  be  constant  and  diligent, 
in  strictly  observing  the  above  resolutions. 
And  I  pray  that  my  humble  endeavours  may, 
by  the  blessing  of  God,  keep  me  in  the  path 
of  holiness,  so  that  I  may,  from  day  to  day, 
become  better  prepared  to  enter  the  world 
of  bliss,  whenever  my  Maker  and  Redeemer 
shall  see  fit  to  terminate  my  mortal  course. 
Amen, 

Monday,  7.  At  half  past  seven,  A.  M. 
we  had  an  earthquake,  which  lasted  about 
twenty  seconds.  At  that  time  I  was  sitting 
in  a  chair,  in  the  house,  and  the  agitation 
put  me,  and  the  whole  house,  in  a  motion 
like  that  of  a  canoe  when  rolled  about  by 
considerable  swells.  The  Natives  say,  that 
a  similar  shaking  of  the  earth  occurs,  almost 
yearly,  at  this  plaice. 

Sunday,  13.  Salmon  begin  to  come  up 
this  river,  which  lights  up  joy  in  the  counte- 
nances, both  of  ourselves  and  of  the  Natives ; 


HARMON'S  JOURNAL.  215 

for  we  had  all  become  nearly  destitute  of 
provisions,  of  any  kind.  A  kind  Providence 
will  not  allow  us  to  suffer  want,  though  we 
so  little  deserve  favours. 

Monday,  October  2.  Within  a  few  days 
past,  we  have  caught,  in  nets  made  for  the 
purpose,  of  strong  twine,  three  sturgeon,  one 
of  which  measured  ten  feet  and  three  inches 
in  length,  and  four  feet  and  one  inch  round 
his  middle,  which  might  weigh  about  four 
hundred  pounds.  All  that  we  have  taken, 
were  uncommonly  fat,  and  of  the  best  flavour 
of  any  that  I  have  ever  eaten. 

Friday,  13.  This  afternoon,  the  Natives 
sent  for  me  to  come  and  see  one  of  their 
young  women,  who  lay  at  the  point  of  death, 
at  their  village;  and,  merely  to  please  them, 
I  went,  without  expecting  to  render  her  any 
service,  especially  with  the  medicines  which 
we  have  here.  I  found  her  so  far  gone  that 
I  thought  it  would  not  be  proper  to  give  her 
any  thing.  I  told  the  Indians,  moreover, 
that  if  she  should  die,  shortly  after  taking 
our  medicines,  they  would  say,  as  they  ever 
do  in  such  cases,  that  I  was  the  cause  of 
her  death.  They  assured  me  however,  to 
the  contrary ;  and  I  gave  her  a  simple  medi- 
cine, which  I  supposed  could  do  her  neither 
good  nor  harm,  with  which  they  were 
satisfied. 

I  understood  that  her  relations  had  said, 
that  acertain  Indian,  by  his  magic,  had  caused 
her  illness,  and  that  he  would  finally  take 


216  HARMON'S  JOURNAL. 

her  life.  I,  therefore,  took  this  opportunity 
of  repeating  again,  what  I  had  often  told 
them  before,  that  God,  the  infinitely  power- 
ful being,  who  made  every  thing,  had  alone 
the  power  of  causing  their  dissolution,  when- 
ever he  thought  proper.  Upon  this,  one  of 
the  chiefs,  who  thought  himself  more  knowing 
than  the  others,  observed,  that  it  was  the 
God  of  the  salmon,  who  remained  at  the 
sea,  who  was  taking  the  girl's  life.  I  re- 
plied, that  God  is  in  heaven  above;  but 
that,  so  searching  are  his  eyes,  he  can  easily 
see  what  takes  place  on  the  face  of  the  whole 
earth.  They  said,  it  might  be  so;  but  they 
could  not  conceive,  by  what  means  I  came 
to  have  a  knowledge  of  these  things.  This, 
I  endeavoured  to  explain  to  them. 

Wednesday,  November  1,  This  afternoon, 
three  of  our  men  arrived  from  the  Kainy 
Lake,  who  say  that  they  left  the  remainder 
of  their  company  at  McLeod's  and  Stuart's 
Lakes.  They  delivered  me  letters  from  people 
jn  this  country;  but  none  from  home.  By 
the  men  in  the  other  canoes,  I  hope  to  re- 
ceive letters  from  my  friends  below.  We 
are  happy  to  be  informed,  that  peace  has 
taken  place  betv/een  Great  Britain  and  the 
United  States.  My  earnest  desire  is,  that 
they  may  long  continue  to  enjoy  this  blessing. 

Thursday,  16.  We  have  now  about  three 
inches  of  snow  on  the  ground. 

Sunday,  March  17,  1816.  In  consequence 
of  the  late  arrival,  at  fort  Chipewyan,  ol 


HARMON'S  JOURNAL.  217 

the  men  who  went  to  the  Rainy  Lake,  two 
canoes,  which  were  expected  last  fall,  could 
not  then  proceed  here,  which  is  the  reason  why 
I  have  but  just  received  the  letters  that  I  then 
expected,  from  my  friends  below.  They  bring 
me  the  distressing  intelligence,  that  two  of 
my  brothers  are  brought,  by  a  consump- 
tion, to  the  borders  of  the  grave.  Happy 
should  I  consider  myself,  could  I  once  more 
see  them  in  this  world.  But,  if  this  may 
not  be,  the  will  of  the  Lord  be  done.  By 
this  affliction  I  have  renewed  proof,  that 
this  world  cannot  be  my  rest;  and  I  pray 
God  to  prepare  me,  and  my  dying  brothers, 
for  that  happy  abode,  where  a  separation 
of  friends  never  causes  the  heart  to  bleed. 

Monday,  April  15.  My  desire  to  return 
to  my  native  country  has  never  been  so 
intense,  since  I  took  up  my  abode  in  the 
wilderness,  as  it  is  now,  in  consequence  of 
the  peculiar  situation  of  my  friends;  yet, 
I  cannot  think  of  doing  it  this  season,  as 
it  is  absolutely  necessary  that  I  should  pass 
the  ensuing  summer  at  this  place. 

I  shall  write  to  my  friends  below,  a  few 
days  hence;  and  as  we  live  in  a  world  of 
disappointment  and  death,  I  am  resolved 
to  forward  to  them  by  Mr.  John  Stuart, 
a  copy  of  my  Journal,  in  order  that  they 
may  know  something  of  the  manner  in  which 
I  have  been  employed,  both  as  it  respects 
my  temporal  and  spiritual  concerns,  while 
in  the  wilderness,  if   I   should   never  enjoy 


218  HARMON'S  JOURNAL. 

the  inexpressible  pleasure  of  a  personal  inter- 
course with  them. 

Wednesday,  24,  I  have  just  returned 
from  Stuart's  Lake.  While  there,  I  agreed 
with  Mr.  George  McDougall  to  remain  in 
this  country  two  years  or  more,  as  clerk  to 
the  North  West  company.  He  came  out 
the  last  summer  from  Canada,  with  Lord 
Selkirk's  party,  without  having  obligated 
himself  to  continue  with  them,  for  any  defi- 
nite time.  After  they  arrived  at  Fort  Ver- 
milion on  Peace  River,  he  was  treated  by 
his  superiour,  Mr.  John  Clarke,  in  so  unbe- 
coming a  manner,  that  he  left  them,  and  had 
come  into  this  quarter  to  visit  his  brother, 
Mr.  James  McDougall,  before  he  should  re- 
turn to  Canada,  which  he  designed  to  do 
the  ensuing  summer. 

Saturday,  July  20.  Strawberries  begin 
to  ripen,  and  we  have  the  prospect  of  an 
abundance  of  them,  as  well  as  of  other  kinds 
of  fruit. 

I  now  pass  a  short  time  every  day,  very 
pleasantly,  in  teaching  my  little  daughter 
Polly  to  read  and  spell  words  in  the  Eng- 
lish language,  in  which  she  makes  good 
progress,  though  she  knows  not  the  mean- 
ing of  one  of  them.  In  conversing  with  my 
children,  I  use  entirely  the  Cree,  Indian  lan- 
guage; with  their  mother  I  more  frequently 
employ  the  French.  Her  native  tongue,  how- 
ever, is  more  familiar  to  her,  which  is  the 
reason  why  our  children  have  been  taught 


HARMON'S  JOURNAL.  219 

to  speak  that,  in  preference  to  the  French 
language. 

Tuesday,  September  9.  Salmon  begin  to 
come  up  this  river. 

Thursday,  October  3.  We  have  taken 
our  vegetables  out  of  the  ground.  We  have 
forty-one  bushels  of  potatoes,  the  produce 
of  one  bushel  planted  the  last  spring.  Our 
turnips,  barlej^,  &c.  have  produced  well, 

Saturday,  November  23.  By  our  people 
who  returned  this  afternoon  from  the  Rainy 
Lake,  I  have  received  letters,  which  announce 
the  afflictive  intelligence,  that  two  of  my 
brothers,  of  whose  decline  I  had  before  been 
informed,  are  gone  into  eternit3\  The  happy 
days  that  I  had  fondly  hoped  that  I  should 
pass  in  their  society  on  earth,  I  shall  never 
enjoy.  Such  is  the  uncertainty  of  all  earthly 
expectations.  But  the  Judge  of  all  the  earth 
has  done  right. — My  departed  brothers  gave 
evidence,  to  those  around  them,  that  they 
died  in  the  faith  and  hope  and  peace  of 
the  gospel.  They  are  gone,  I  trust,  to  a 
world  where  sin  and  suffering  cannot  follow 
them. 

When  the  cold  hands  of  death  shall  have 
been  laid  upon  a  few  more  of  my  relatives, 
there  will  be  nothing  remaining  on  the  earth 
to  console  me  for  their  loss.  Nothing  revives 
my  drooping  spirits  in  view  of  the  departure 
of  my  friends,  one  after  another,  from  year 
to  year,  into  eternity,  Uke  the  hope  that, 
through  rich  grace,  I  may  be  at  length  per- 


220  HAEMON'S  JOURNAL. 

mitted  to  join  their  society,  in  a  world  of 
perfect  purity  and  of  uninterrupted  and  ever- 
lasting joy. 

We  rarely  prize  our  blessings  in  a  suitable 
manner,  until  we  learn  their  value  by  being 
deprived  of  them.  I  feel  the  force  of  this 
truth,  in  regard  to  my  deceased  brothers. 
To  one  of  them  in  a  particular  manner,  I  am 
deeply  indebted ;  and  I  have  never  been  fully 
sensible  of  his  worth,  until  now.  During 
the  whole  period  of  my  residence  in  this 
country,  he  has  written  to  me  annually, 
long,  affectionate,  and  instructive  letters. 
For  a  number  of  years  past,  religion  v/as  the 
great  subject  of  them.  He  was  tenderly  con- 
cerned for  my  spiritual  welfare;  and  doubt- 
less learned  from  my  letters,  that  I  was 
lingering  on  the  gloomy  confines  of  infidelity, 
and  little  disposed  to  heed,  as  I  ought  to 
have  done,  his  friendly  admonition.  So 
far  from  being  discouraged  by  this  circum- 
stance, it  only  rendered  him  more  vigorous 
and  persevering  in  his  efforts ;  and  his  letters 
stand  chief  among  the  means,  which  have 
been  blessed,  as  I  would  hope,  to  my  con- 
version from  the  love  and  practice  of  sin, 
to  the  fear  and  service  of  God.  These  letters 
have  also  been  of  use  to  the  few  friends,  to 
whom  I  have  shown  them.  It  would  have 
given  me  great  pleasure  to  have  acknowl- 
edged, in  person,  the  obligation  which  I  am 
under  to  him;  but  it  becomes  not  me  to 
dictate  to  infinite  wisdom. 


HARMON'S  JOURNAL.  221 

I  have,  also,  received  letters  from  gentle- 
men in  different  parts  of  this  country,  which 
inform  me  of  the  many  disasters  that  befel 
the  people  whom  Lord  Selkirk  sent  the  year 
before,  from  Scotland,  the  Orkney  Islands, 
and  Canada,  some  of  whom  were  destined 
to  form  a  colony  on  the  Eed  River,  and 
others  to  traffic  with  the  Natives,  in  dif- 
ferent parts  of  the  Indian  country.  They 
consisted  at  first,  as  I  am  informed,  of  two 
or  three  hundred  m-^n,  together  with  a  few 
women  and  children.  Those,  who  went  to 
establish  themselves  on  the  Red  River,  at  a 
short  distance  from  its  entrance  into  the 
great  Winnipick  Lake,  began,  soon  after 
their  arrival,  to  behave  in  a  hostile  manner 
toward  the  people  of  the  North  West  Com- 
pany, who  have  establishments  in  that  quar- 
ter. Of  some  of  our  forts,  they  actually 
took  possession,  and  carried  away  the  prop- 
erty which  they  found  in  them ;  and,  in  some 
instances,  they  set  fire  to  the  forts,  and 
reduced  them  to  ashes.  They  also  took 
Duncan  Cameron  Esq.  a  partner  of  the  North 
West  Company,  and  another  gentleman, 
who  is  a  clerk,  whom  they  carried,  in  the 
spring,  to  Hudson's  Bay,  with  the  intention, 
as  they  stated,  of  taking  them  to  England. — 
In  the  course  of  the  winter,  as  the  Express 
of  the  North  West  Company  was  passing 
that  way,  destined  to  the  Soult  St.  Maries, 
they  took  possession  of  that  also,  perused 
the  letters  and  other  papers  which  had  been 


222  HARMON'S  JOURNAL. 

sealed  up,  and  finally  carried  them  to  York 
Factory,  at  Hudson's  Bay. 

All  this  unmerited  treatment,  at  length  so 
provoked  the  people  of  the  North  West  Com- 
pany, that  they  proceeded  to  retake  their 
own  forts,  which  had  not  been  burned,  as 
well  as  some  property  belonging  to  those 
disturbers  of  the  peace. 

la  June,  a  number  of  the  Brules,  that  is, 
people  whose  fathers  were  white  men,  and 
whose  mothers  were  Indian  women,  proceeded 
from  the  upper  part  of  Red  Eiver,  toward 
the  place  of  its  entrance  into  the  Lake,  in 
order  to  guard  some  property  there  be- 
longing to  the  N.  W.  Company.  On  their 
way,  they  were  obliged  to  pass,  for  about 
two  miles,  over  an  open  plain,  directly  behind 
Lord  Selkirk's  establishment.  As  soon  as 
they  were  observed,  his  people  came  out  in 
a  body,  and  fired  upon  them,  twice.  This 
was  unexpected  by  the  Brules;  neither  were 
they  prepared  for  such  an  encounter,  as 
many  of  them  had  neither  gun  nor  ammuni- 
tion. Perceiving  however,  that  they  must 
defend  themselves  or  be  cut  off,  those  who 
had  arms  returned  the  fire;  and  the  contest 
continued,  until  twenty  two  of  the  noble 
Earl's  people  fell,  and  some  others  were 
wounded.  The  Brules  had  only  one  man 
killed,  and  one  wounded.— This  unhappy 
affair  broke  up  the  colony.  Some  of  the 
people  went  to  Hudson's  Bay;  but  the 
greater  number  returned  to  Canada. 


HARMON'S  JOURNAL.  223 

Those  of  Lord  Selkirk's  people  who  came 
to  the  English  River  and  Athabasca,  suf- 
fered greatly  for  the  want  of  provisions. 
Out  of  nearly  one  hundred  who  came  to 
Athabasca,  twelve  actually  lost  their  lives 
by  starvation ;  and  all  the  others  must  have 
shared  the  same  unhappy  fate,  had  not  the 
people  of  the  North  West  Company  supplied 
them  with  provisions.  In  short,  Lord  Sel- 
kirk lost  the  last  year,  in  fight  and  by  star- 
vation, sixty  eight  of  his  men !  and  still, 
with  the  phrenzy  of  a  madman,  he  is  re- 
solved on  pursuing  his  wild  projects. 

Wednesday,  December  4.  There  is  now 
about  a  foot  and  an  half  of  snow  on  the 
ground. 

I  have  sent  fifteen  men,  with  each  a  sledge 
drawn  by  two  dogs  and  loaded  with  salmon, 
to  McLeod's  Lake,  for  the  subsistence  of 
the  people  who  are  to  pass  the  winter  there 
and  for  the  additional  number  who  will  be 
there  in  the  spring,  to  make  up  the  furs  into 
packs.  Salmon  are  our  chief  subsistence 
here ;  and  they  are  taken  only  in  the  waters 
which  are  discharged  into  the  Pacific  Ocean. 
The  outlet  of  McLeod's  Lake  enters  Peace 
River,  whose  waters,  are  finally  discharged 
into  the  North  Sea. 

Thursday,  January  2,  1817.  I  have  just 
returned  from  a  neighbouring  village,  where 
my  interpreter  gave  one  of  the  natives  a 
decent  drubbing,  for  having  stolen  from  us. 
Soon  after,  the  Indian  who  had  been  beaten, 


224  HARMON'S  JOURNAL. 

with  a  number  of  his  relations,  flew  to  arms, 
and  surrounded  our  camp;  but  they  pro- 
ceeded at  first  no  farther  than  to  gesticulate 
In  a  threatening  manner.  This  I  permitted 
them,  for  a  short  time,  to  do,  when  I  ordered 
my  men  to  load  their  guns;  though  I  was 
determined  that  they  should  not  fire,  unless 
it  became  a  matter  of  necessity.  I  then  told 
the  Natives  that  we  were  prepared  to  defend 
ourselves,  and,  if  they  intended  to  fire  upon 
us,  to  begin;  or  otherwise,  to  walk  off,  and 
lay  aside  their  arms,  which  if  they  would 
not  do,  we  should  fire  upon  them.  They 
concluded  to  retire,  and  shortly  after  came 
back  without  their  arms,  and  began  to  trade, 
as  if  nothing  had  happened. 

Monday,  February  10.  This  evening  the 
mother  of  my  children,  was  delivered  of  a 
daughter,  whom  I  name  Sally  Harmon. 

Wednesday,  19.  I  am  this  day  thirty 
nine  years  of  age.  WTien  I  reflect  on  the 
events  of  my  past  life,  and  recollect,  especial- 
ly, in  how  many  instances  a  merciful  God  has 
snatched  me  from  the  very  jaws  of  death, 
when  it  would  undoubtedly  have  delivered 
me  over  to  everlasting  destruction,  I  am 
grieved  and  ashamed,  in  view  of  the  in- 
gratitude with  which  I  have  requited  such 
infinite  kindness.  My  past  life  now  appears 
to  me  to  have  been  a  continual  course  of 
sins,  committed  against  a  merciful  Creator, 
Benefactor  and  Eedeemer.  I  have  even  de- 
nied the  Lord  that  brought  me,  and  that 


HARMON'S  JOURNAL,  224 

because  I  could  see  no  need  of  that  atone- 
ment for  sin,  which  is  the  only  thing  that 
has  stood  between  me  and  hopeless  perdition  I 
If  I  have  indeed  been  rescued  from  such  a 
wretched  condition,  if  I  have  been  effectually 
convinced  of  my  sinfulness,  and  have  been 
led,  in  the  exercise  of  faith,  to  apply  unto 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  for  pardon  and  for 
sanctification,  surely,  it  can  be  attributed  to 
nothing  but  the  grace  of  God.  Much  of 
my  life  has  been  spent  in  the  service  of  sin; 
the  little  that  remains,  ought  to  be  sacredly 
devoted  to  God  and  the  Redeemer.  May 
the  Holy  Spirit  enable  me  to  live  in  the  time 
to  come,  as  a  disciple  of  the  blessed  Saviour. 
Monday,  September  1.  Stuart's  Lake. 
On  the  8th  of  May  last,  I  left  New  Cale- 
donia, and  went  as  far  as  Fort  Chipewyan, 
on  the  Athabasca  Lake.  This  afternoon, 
I  returned  to  this  place.  While  I  was  at  that 
lake,  the  Indians  who  were  encamped  about 
the  fort,  to  the  number  of  about  one  hun- 
dred, rose  up  in  arms  against  us,  on  account 
of  a  quarrel  between  one  of  their  people  and 
one  of  our  men.  We  did  not,  however,  come 
to  blows;  and,  after  a  parley,  the  Indians 
were  persuaded  to  lay  down  their  arms. — 
Those  Chipeways  are  a  savage  people;  and 
they  have  as  I  believe,  killed  more  white 
men,  than  any  other  tribe  in  the  North 
West  country.  A  few  years  since,  they  burned 
one  of  our  forts,  and  killed  every  person 
belonging  to  it. 


226  HAEMON'S  JOURNAL. 

On  the  21st  of  June,  I  left  Athabasca 
Lake,  at  which  period,  there  was  still  ice 
floating  about  in  it.  In  coming  up  Peace 
River,  we  saw  many  of  the  buffaloe  and  red 
deer,  and  killed  as  many  of  them  as  we 
wanted  for  our  own  consumption.  Black 
bears,  also,  were  in  plenty ;  and  of  them,  we 
killed  eleven.  One  day  as  I  was  walking 
along  the  beach  alone  without  my  gun,  a 
black  bear,  that  had  cubs,  pursued  me  for 
nearly  a  mile.  Happily  for  me,  I  could  out- 
run her;  and  I  therefore  escaped  from  her 
terrible  paws. 

A  little  below  the  Rocky  Mountain  Port- 
age, along  the  side  of  the  river,  there  is  a 
kind  of  marsh  where  earth,  of  a  beautiful 
yellow  colour  is  found,  which  when  burned, 
becomes  a  pretty  lively  red.  The  natives  use 
it  as  paint,  for  which  it  answers  tolerably 
well.  We,  also,  use  it  to  paint  our  forts  and 
houses. 

Saturday,  October  4.  This  evening,  an 
Indian  arrived  from  Frazer's  Lake,  bringing 
the  disagreeable  intelligence,  that  yesterday 
in  the  afternoon,  our  fort  there  was  con- 
sumed by  fire.  We  have  reason  to  be  thank- 
ful, however,  that  most  of  the  property  which 
was  in  it,  was  saved. 

Thursday,  16.  We  have  taken  our  vegeta- 
bles out  of  the  ground.  In  consequence  of  the 
very  dry  summer,  they  have  yielded  but 
poorly.  There  were  months,  during  which 
not  a  drop  of  rain  fell. — Fruit  of  all  kinds 


HARMON'S  JOURNAL.  227 

has  been  uncommonly  abundant  this  sea- 
son. 

Wednesday,  February  18,  1818.  I  have 
just  returned  from  a  jaunt  of  twenty  three 
days,  to  a  place  down  Frazer's  River.  While 
there,  the  Natives  had  concerted  a  plan  to 
mass.acre  us  all ;  but  I  discovered  it,  and  kept 
my  people  on  their  guard.  The  Indians,  per- 
ceiving this,  dared  not  attempt  to  execute 
their  bloody  and  unprovoked  purpose. 

Saturday,  May  2.  Expecting  that  the  ice 
in  Peace  River  will  soon  break  up,  I  have 
sent  off  the  last  of  our  people  who  are  going 
to  the  Rainy  lake;  and  by  them  I  have  for- 
warded, as  usual,  my  accounts  of  the  place, 
and  letters  to  my  friends  below.  I  look  for- 
ward, with  pleasing  anticipation,  to  the  re- 
turn of  another  spring,  when  I  hope,  if  my 
life  is  spared,  I  shall  myself  leave  this  coun- 
try on  a  visit  to  the  civilized  world. 

Thursday,  September  3.  Last  night,  there 
fell  about  four  inches  of  snow,  which  is  earlier 
than  I  have  ever  before  seen  it  fall,  in  this 
part  of  the  country.  On  the  6th  ult.  salmon 
began  to  come  up  this  river;  but  they  are 
not  very  numerous. 

In  the  month  of  June,  we  took  out  of  this 
lake  twenty  one  sturgeon,  that  were  from 
eight  to  twelve  feet  in  length.  One  of  them 
measured  twelve  feet  two  inches,  from  its  ex- 
treme points,  four  feet  eleven  inches  round  the 
middle;  and  would  weigh  from  five  hundred 
and   fifty,  to  six  hundred  pounds.    All  the 


228  HARMON'S  JOURNAL. 

sturgeon  that  we  have  caught,  on  this  side  of 
the  mountain,  are  far  superior  in  flavour,  to 
any  I  ever  saw  in  any  other  part  of  the 
world. 

A  few  days  since,  we  cut  down  and  threshed 
our  barley.  The  five  quarts,  which  I  sowed 
on  the  first  of  May,  have  yielded  as  many 
bushels.  One  acre  of  ground,  producing  in 
the  same  proportion  that  this  has  done, 
would  yield  eighty  four  bushels.  This  is 
sufficient  proof  that  the  soil,  in  many  places 
in  this  quarter,  is  favourable  to  agriculture. 
It  will  probabh'  be  long,  however,  before  it 
will  exhibit  the  fruits  of  cultivation.  The 
Indians,  though  they  often  suffer  for  the  want 
of  food,  are  too  lazy  to  cultivate  the  ground. 
I  have  frequently  tried  to  prevail  on  some  of 
them  to  hoe  and  prepare  a  piece  of  ground, 
promising  them  that  I  would  give  them  po- 
tatoes and  turnips,  with  which  to  plant  it; 
but  I  have  not  succeeded.  Having  been  from 
their  infancy  trained  up  to  privation,  the  fear 
of  want  is  a  much  less  powerful  stimulus  to 
excite  them  to  industry,  than  it  is  to  those 
who  have  always  been  accustomed  to  the 
comforts  of  civilized  life. 

Tuesday,  October  13.  We  have  several 
inches  of  snow  on  the  ground. 

For  several  years  past,  Iroquois  from 
Canada,  have  been  in  the  habit  of  coming 
into  different  parts  of  the  North  West  coun- 
try, to  hunt  the  beaver,  &c.  The  Natives  of 
the  country,  consider  them  as  intruders.    As 


HARMON'S  JOURNAL.  229 

they  are  mere  rovers,  they  do  not  feel  the 
same  interest,  as  those  who  permanently 
reside  here,  in  keeping-  the  stock  of  animals 
good,  and  therefore  they  make  great  havock 
among  the  game,  destroying  alike  the  ani- 
mals which  are  young  and  old.  A  number  of 
Iroquois  have  passed  several  summers  on 
this  side  of  the  mountain,  which  circumstance 
they  knew  to  be  displeasing  to  the  Indians 
here,  who  have  often  threatened  to  kill  them^ 
if  they  persisted  in  destroying  the  animals  on 
their  lands.  These  menaces  were  disregarded. 
A.  month  since,  an  Iroquois,  with  his  wife  and 
two  children,  were  all  killed,  while  asleep,  by 
two  Carriers  of  this  village,  which  melancholy 
event,  I  hope,  will  prevent  any  of  the  Iro- 
quois from  coming  into  this  region  again. 

Saturday,  November  7.  We  have  now 
about  a  foot  of  snow  on  the  ground. — To- 
day our  people  returned  from  the  Rainy 
Lake,  and  say  that,  on  account  of  the  large 
quantities  of  ice  that  was  drifting  in  Peace 
River,  they  were  obliged  to  leave  the  greater 
part  of  the  goods,  which  they  had  on  board 
of  the  canoes,  but  a  short  distance  this  side 
of  the  Rocky  Mountain  Portage.  We  shall 
be  obliged,  therefore,  to  bring  these  goods  on 
sledges,  drawn  by  dogs  from  that  place, 
which  is  distant  from  this,  about  two  hun- 
dred and  eighty  miles. 

Saturday,  February  28,  1819.  Mr.  George 
McDougall  has  arrived  here  from  Frazer's 
Lake,  to  remain,  as  I  am  going  to  McLeod's 


230  HARMON'S  JOURNAL. 

Lake,  to  prepare  for  a  departure  for  Head 
Quarters;  and  my  intention  is,  during  the 
next  summer,  to  visit  my  native  land.  I 
design,  also,  to  take  my  family  with  me,  and 
leave  them  there,  that  they  may  be  educated 
in  a  civilized  and  christian  manner.  The 
mother  of  my  children  will  accompany  me; 
and,  if  she  shall  be  satisiied  to  remain  in  that 
part  of  the  world,  I  design  to  make  her  regu- 
larly my  wife  by  a  formal  marriage.  It  will 
be  seen  by  this  remark,  that  my  intentions 
have  materially  changed,  since  the  time  that 
I  at  first  took  her  to  live  with  me;  and  as 
my  conduct  in  this  respect  is  different  from 
that  which  has  generally  been  pursued  by  the 
gentlemen  of  the  North  West  Company,  it 
will  be  proper  to  state  some  of  the  reasons 
which  have  governed  my  decision,  in  regard 
to  this  weighty  affair.  It  has  been  made 
with  the  most  serious  deliberation;  and,  I 
hope,  under  a  solemn  sense  of  my  accounta- 
bility to  God. 

Having  lived  with  this  woman  as  my  wife, 
though  we  were  never  formally  contracted  to 
each  other,  during  life,  and  having  children 
by  her,  I  consider  that  I  am  under  a  moral 
obligation  not  to  dissolve  the  connexion,  if 
she  is  willing  to  continue  it.  The  union  which 
has  been  formed  between  us,  in  the  providence 
of  God,  has  not  only  been  cemented  by  a 
long  and  mutual  performance  of  kind  offices, 
but,  also,  by  a  more  sacred  consideration. 
Ever  since  my  own  mind  was  turned  effectually 


HARMON'S  JOURNAL.  231 

to  the  subject  of  religion,  I  have  taken 
pains  to  instruct  her  in  the  great  doctrines 
and  duties  of  Christianity.  My  exertions  have 
not  been  in  vain.  Through  the  merciful 
agency  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  I  trust  that  she 
has  become  a  partaker  with  me,  in  the  con- 
eolations  and  hopes  of  the  gospel.  I  consider 
it  to  be  my  duty  to  take  her  to  a  christian 
land,  where  she  may  enjoy  Divine  ordinances, 
grow  in  grace,  and  ripen  for  glory. — We  have 
wept  together  over  the  early  departure  of 
several  children,  and  especially,  over  the 
death  of  a  beloved  son.  We  have  children 
^till  living,  who  are  equally  dear  to  us  both. 
Jow  could  I  spend  my  days  in  the  civilized 
world,  and  leave  my  beloved  children  in  the 
wilderness?  The  thought  has  in  it  the  bitter- 
ness of  death.  How  could  I  tear  them  from  a 
mother's  love,  and  leave  her  to  mourn  over 
their  absence,  to  the  day  of  her  death?  Pos- 
sessing only  the  common  ffeelings  of  human- 
ity, how  could  I  think  of  her,  in  such  cir- 
cumstances, without  anguish?  On  the  whole, 
I  consider  the  course  which  I  design  to  pur- 
sue, as  the  only  one  which  religion  and  hu- 
manity would  justify. 

Mr.  McDougall  informs  me,  that,  not  long 
since,  an  Indian  died  at  Frazer's  Lake,  and 
left  behind  him  a  widow,  who  had  been  in 
similar  circumstances  before,  by  the  loss  of  a 
former  husband.  A  day  or  two  before  the 
corpse  was  to  be  burned,  she  told  the  rela- 
tions   of    her    late  husband,   that   she   was 


232  HARMON'S  JOURNAL. 

resolved  not  to  undergo  a  second  slavery. 
She  therefore  left  the  tent,  secretly,  in  the 
evening,  and  hung  herself  from  a  tree. 

Among  the  Carriers,  widows  are  slaves  to 
the  relations  of  their  deceased  husbands,  for 
the  term  of  two  or  three  years  from  the 
commencement  of  their  widowhood,  during 
which,  they  are  generally  treated  in  a  cruel 
manner.  Their  heads  are  shaved,  and  it  be- 
longs to  them  to  do  all  the  drudgery,  about 
the  tent.  They  are  frequently  beaten  with  a 
club  or  an  axe,  or  some  such  weapon. 

Saturday,  May  8.  McLeods  Lake.  I  ar- 
rived here  about  two  months  since.  Yester- 
day, the  most  of  our  people  embarked  with 
the  returns  of  this  place,  in  three  canoes ;  and 
%  few  hours  hence,  I  shall,  with  my  family, 
proceed  in  another,  which  will  be  pushed  on 
by  six  Canadians. 

It  is  now  eight  years  and  an  half,  since  I 
came  to  the  west  side  of  the  Rocky  Mountain. 
My  life,  which  has  often  been  in  jeopardy,  is 
still  preserved ;  my  family  have  generally  en- 
joyed, in  a  high  degree,  the  comforts,  which 
this  part  of  the  world  affords ;  and,  especially, 
they  have  been  extensively  blessed  with 
health  of  body,  and  contentment  of  mind. 
Our  worldly  affairs  have  prospered,  to  as 
great  an  extent  as  we  could  reasonably  ex- 
pect. For  all  these  blessings,  it  becomes  us 
to  return  unfeigned  thanks,  to  the  great 
Giver  of  every  good  gift. 

Friday,    14.     Rocky    Mountain   Portage. 


HARMON'S  JOURNAL.  233 

All  the  way  to  this  place,  we  have  drifted 
down,  amidst  great  quantities  of  ice,  by 
which,  at  five  different  places,  the  river  was 
completely  blocked  up,  so  that  we  were 
obliged  to  tarry,  until  the  water  rose  so 
high,  as  to  remove  these  barriers.  This  is 
the  reason  why  we  have  been  so  long  in  com- 
ing to  this  place.  Had  the  river  been  high, 
and  yet  clear  from  ice,  the  current  is  so 
strong,  that  we  might  have  reached  here  in 
two  days. 

Wednesday,  August  18.  Fort  William.  I 
have  at  length  arrived  at  head  quarters.  In 
coming  from  New  Caledonia  to  this  place, 
which  is  a  distance  of  at  least  three  thousand 
miles,  nothing  uncommon  has  occurred.  A 
few  days  hence,  I  shall  leave  this  place,  to 
proceed  to  Canada.  As  I  have  already  de- 
scribed the  country  between  this,  and  Mon- 
treal, I  shall  here  conclude  my  Journal. 


CHARACTER 

OF  THE  CANADIAN  VOYAGERS. 


Like  their  ancestors  the  French,  the  Cana- 
dian Voyagers  possess  lively  and  fickle  dis- 
positions; and  they  are  rarely  subject  to. 
depression  of  spirits,  of  long  continuance, 
even  when  in  circumstances  the  most  adverse. 
Although  what  they  consider  good  eating 
and  drinking  constitutes  their  chief  good, 
yet,  when  necessity  compels  them  to  it,  they 
submit  to  great  privation  and  hardship,  not 
only  without  complaining,  but  even  with 
cheerfulness  and  gaiety.  They  are  very  talka- 
tive, and  extremely  thoughtless,  and  make 
many  resolutions,  which  are  almost  as  soon 
broken  as  formed.  They  never  think  of  pro- 
viding for  future  wants ;  and  seldom  lay  up 
any  part  of  their  earnings,  to  serve  them  in 
a  day  of  sickness,  or  in  the  decline  of  hfe. 
Trifling  provocations  will  often  throw  them 
into  a  rage;  but  they  are  easily  appeased 
when  in  anger,  and  they  never  harbour  a 
revengeful  purpose  against  those,  by  whom 
they  conceive  that  they  have  been  injured. 
They  are  not  brave;  but  when  they  apprt- 


236  CANADIAN  VOYAGER? 

hend  little  danger,  they  will  often,  as  they 
say,  play  the  man.  They  are  very  deceitful, 
are  exceedingly  smooth  and  polite,  and  are 
even  gross  flatterers  to  the  face  of  a  person, 
whom  they  will  basely  slander,  behind  his 
back.  They  pay  little  regard  to  veracity  or 
to  honesty.  Their  word  is  not  to  be  trusted ; 
and  they  are  much  addicted  to  pilfering,  and 
will  even  steal  articles  of  considerable  value, 
when  a  favourable  opportunity  offers.  A 
secret  they  cannot  keep.  They  rarely  feel 
gratitude,  though  they  are  often  generous. 
They  are  obedient,  but  aot  faithful  servants. 
By  flattering  their  vanity,  of  which  they  have 
not  a  little,  they  may  be  persuaded  to  under- 
take the  most  difficult  enterprises,  provided 
their  lives  are  not  endangered.  Although 
they  are  generally  unable  to  read,  yet  they 
acquire  considerable  knowledge  of  human 
nature,  and  some  general  information,  in 
regard  to  the  state  of  this  country.  As  they 
leave  Canada  while  they  are  young,  they 
have  but  little  knowledge  of  the  principles  of 
the  religion,  which  their  Priests  profess  to 
follow,  and  before  they  have  been  long  in  the 
Indian  country,  they  pay  little  more  atten- 
tion to  the  sabbath,  or  the  worship  of  God, 
or  any  other  Divine  institutior.,  than  the 
savages  themselves. 


AN 

ACCOUNT  OF  THE  INDIANS 

LIVING  WEST  OF  THE 
KOCKY   MOUNTAIN. 


ACCOUNT,  &c. 


As  the  Indians  living  on  the  west  side  of 
the  Rocky  Mountain,  differ  greatly  in  their 
language,  manners,  customs,  religion,  &c. 
from  those  on  the  east  side,  it  may  be  proper 
to  give  concisely  a  separate  account  of  them, 
and  of  the  country  which  they  inhabit.  In 
doing  this,  I  shall  dwell  more  particularly  on 
those  things  which  are  peculiar  to  these  peo- 
ple, as  I  design,  in  another  place,  to  give  a 
general  description  of  the  Indians,  which  shall 
have  a  principal  reference,  however,  to  the 
more  numerous  tribes  on  the  east  side  of  the 
Mountain.  I  shall,  I  hope,  be  pardoned,  if 
some  repetition  shall  be  found,  of  things  con- 
tained in  my  journal,  as  it  cannot  easily  be 
avoided. 

That  part  of  the  country,  west  of  the 
Rocky  Mountain,  with  which  I  am  ac- 
quainted, has,  ever  since  the  North  West 
Company  first  made  an  establishment  there, 
which  was  in  1806,  gone  by  the  name  of 
New  Caledonia ;  and  may  extend  from  north 
to  south,  about  five  hundred  miles,  and  from 
east  to  west,  three  hundred  and  fifty  or  four 


240  ACCOUNT  OF  THE  INDIANS. 

hundred.  The  post  at  Stuart's  Lake,  is 
nearly  in  the  centre  of  it,  and  Ues,  as  already 
mentioned  in  my  Journal,  in  54°  30'  North 
Latitude,  and  in  125^  West  Longitude  from 
Greenwich.  In  this  large  extent  of  country, 
there  are  not  more  than  five  thousand  In- 
dians, including  men,  women  and  children. 

New  Caledonia  is  considerably  mountain- 
ous. Between  its  elevated  parts,  however, 
there  are  pretty  extensive  valleys,  along 
which  pass  innumerable  small  rivers  and 
brooks.  It  contains  a  great  number  of  small 
lakes,  and  two  which  are  considerably  large. 
These  are  Stuart's  Lake,  which  is  about  three 
hundred  miles  in  circumference,  and  Nate- 
ote-tain  Lake,  which  is  nearly  twice  as  large. 
I  am  of  the  opinion  that  about  one  sixth 
part  of  New  Caledonia,  is  covered  with  water. 
There  are  but  two  large  rivers.  One  of  these 
I  denominate  Eraser's  River,  which  may  be 
sixty  or  seventy  rods  wide.  It  rises  in  the 
Kocky  Mountain,  within  a  short  distance  of 
the  source  of  Peace  River;  and  is  the  river 
which  Sir  Alexander  McKenzie  followed  a 
considerable  distance,  when  he  went  to  the 
Pacific  Ocean,  in  1793,  and  which  he  took  to 
be  the  Columbia  River ;  but  it  is  now  known 
to  be  several  hundred  miles  north  of  that  noble 
stream.  The  other  large  river  of  New  Cale- 
donia, arises  near  Great  Bear's  Lake;  and 
after  passing  through  several  considerable 
lakes,  it  enters  the  Pacific  Ocean,  several 
hundred  miles  north  of  Eraser's  River. 


ACCOUNT  OF  THE  INDIANS.         241 

The  mountains  of  New  Caledonia,  in  point 
of  elevation,  are  not  to  be  compared  with 
those  which  we  pass  through  in  coming  up 
that  part  of  Peace  River,  which  lies  between 
the  Rocky  Mountain  portage  and  Finlay's 
Branch.  There  are  some,  however,  which  are 
pretty  lofty;  and  on  the  summits  of  one  in 
particular,  which  we  see  from  Stuart's  Lake, 
the  snow  lies  during  the  whole  of  the  year. 

The  weather  is  not  severely  cold,  except 
for  a  few  days  in  the  winter,  when  the  mer- 
cury is  sometimes  as  low  as  32°  below  zero, 
in  Faranheit's  thermometer.  The  remainder 
of  the  season,  is  much  milder  than  it  is  on 
the  other  side  of  the  mountain,  in  the  same 
Latitude.  The  summer  is  never  very  warm, 
in  the  day  time ;  and  the  nights  are  generally 
cool.  In  every  month  in  the  year,  there  are 
frosts.  Snow  generally  falls  about  the  fif- 
teenth of  November,  and  is  all  dissolved  by 
about  the  fifteenth  of  May.  About  McLeod's 
Lake  the  snow  sometimes  falls  to  the  depth 
of  five  feet;  and  I  imagine  that  it  is  to  be 
attributed  to  the  great  depth  of  the  snow, 
that  no  large  animals  of  any  kind,  excepting 
a  few  solitary  ones,  are  to  be  met  ^ith. 

There  are  a  few  Moose;  and  the  Natives 
occasionally,  kill  a  black  bear.  Cariboo  are 
also  found,  at  some  seasons.  Some  smaller 
animals  are  found,  though  they  are  not 
numerous.  They  consist  of  beavers,  otters, 
lynxes  or  cats,  fishers,  martins,  minks,  wol- 
verines, foxes  of  different  kinds,  badgers,  pole- 
i6 


242         ACCOUNT  OF  THE  INDIANS. 

cats,  hares  and  a  few  wolves.  The  fowls  are 
swans,  bustards,  geese,  cranes,  ducks  of 
several  kinds,  partridges,  &c.  All  the  lakes 
and  rivers  are  well  furnished  with  excellent 
fish.  They  are  the  sturgeon,  white  fish,  trout, 
sucker  and  many  of  a  smaller  kind.  Salmon, 
also,  visit  the  streams,  in  very  considerable 
numbers,  in  Autumn.  A  small  share  of  in- 
dustry, therefore,  would  enable  the  Natives, 
at  all  times,  to  provide  for  themselves  a  suf- 
ficient supply  of  agreeable,  wholesome  and 
nutritious  food. 

The  Natives  of  New  Caledonia,  we  denomi- 
nate Carriers;  but  they  call  themselves  Ta- 
cul-lies,  which  signifies  people  who  go  upon 
water.  This  name  originated  from  the  fact 
that  they  generally  go  from  one  village  to 
another,  in  canoes.  They  are  of  the  middle 
stature,  and  the  men  are  well  proportioned; 
but  the  v/omen  are  generally  short  and 
thick,  and  their  lower  lim.bs  are  dispropor- 
tionately large.  Both  sexes  are  remarkably 
negligent  and  slovenly,  in  regard  to  their 
persons ;  and  they  are  filthy  in  their  cookery. 
Their  dispositions  are  lively  and  quiet;  and 
thej^  appear  to  be  happy,  or  at  least  con- 
tented, in  their  wi'etched  situation.  They  are 
indolent;  but  apparently  more  from  habit 
than  by  nature;  and  probably  this  trait  in 
their  character,  originates  from  the  circum- 
stance, that  they  procure  a  livelihood,  with 
but  little  labour.  Whenever  we  employ  any 
of  them,  either  to  work  about  the  fort  or  in 


ACCOUNT  OF  THE  INDIANS.         243 

voyaging,  they  are  sufficiently  laborious  and 
active ;  and  they  appear  to  be  pleased,  when 
we  thus  furnish  them  with  employment. 
They  are  not  in  the  habit  of  stealing  articles 
of  great  value;  but  they  are  the  sliest  pil- 
ferers, perhaps,  upon  the  face  of  the  earth. 
They  will  not  only  pilfer  from  us,  but,  when 
favourable  opportunities  offer,  they  are 
guilty  of  the  same  low  vice  among  their 
friends  and  relations.  They  are  remarkably 
fond  of  the  white  people.  They  seldom  begin 
a  quarrel  with  emj  of  us,  though  they  are 
naturally  brave.  \Mien  any  of  our  people, 
however,  treat  them  ill,  they  defend  them- 
selves with  courage,  and  with  considerable 
dexterity;  and  some  of  them  will  fight  a 
tolerable  Canadian  battle. 

Their  language  is  very  similar  to  that  of 
the  Chipewyans,  and  has  a  great  affinity  to 
the  tongues,  spoken  by  the  Beaver  Indians 
and  the  Sicannies.  Between  all  the  different 
villages  of  the  Carriers,  there  prevails  a  dif- 
ference of  dialect,  to  such  an  extent,  that 
they  often  give  different  names  to  the  most 
common  utensils.  Every  village  has  its  par- 
ticular name,  and  its  inhabitants  are  called 
after  the  name  of  the  village,  in  tlie  same 
manner  as  people  in  the  civilized  world  re- 
ceive a  name,  from  the  city  or  country  which 
they  inhabit. 

Their  clothing  consists  of  a  covering  made 
of  the  skins  of  the  beaver,  badger,  muskrat, 
cat  or  hare.    The  last  they  cut  into  strips, 


244  ACCOUNT  OF  THE  INDIANS. 

about  one  inch  broad,  and  then  weave  or 
lace  them  together,  until  they  become  of  a 
sufficient  size  to  cover  their  bodies,  and  to 
reach  to  their  knees.  This  garment  they 
put  over  their  shoulders,  and  tie  about  their 
waists.  Instead  of  the  above  named  skins, 
when  they  can  obtain  them  from  us,  they 
greatly  prefer,  and  make  use  of  blankets, 
capots,  or  Canadian  coats,  cloth  or  moose 
and  red  deer  skin.  They  seldom  use  either 
leggins  or  shoes,  in  the  summer.  At  this 
sea-son  the  men  often  go  naked,  without  any 
thing  to  cover  even  that  part  of  the  body 
which  civilized,  and  the  most,  also  of  savage 
people,  think  it  necessary  to  conceal.  Indeed 
they  manifest  as  little  sense  of  shame  in  re- 
gard to  this  subject,  as  the  very  brute  crea- 
tion. The  women,  however,  in  addition  to 
the  robe  of  beaver  or  dressed  moose  skins, 
wear  an  apron,  twelve  or  eighteen  inches 
broad,  which  reaches  nearly  down  to  their 
knees.  These  aprons  are  made  of  a  piece  of 
deer  skin,  or  of  salmon  skins,  sewed  together. 
Of  the  skin  of  this  fish,  they  sometimes  make 
leggins,  shoes,  bags,  &c.  but  they  are  not 
durable ;  and  therefore  they  prefer  deer  skins 
and  cloth,  which  are  more  pliable  and  soft. 
The  roughness  of  salmon  skins,  renders  them 
particularly  unpleasant  for  aprons. 

A  few  of  the  male  Carriers  recently  make 
use  of  the  breech-cloth,  made  of  cloth  which 
they  procure  from  us;  but  as  evidence  that 
no  great  sense  of  delicacy  has  induced  them 


ACCOUNT  OF  THE  INDIANS.         245 

to  wear  it,  you  will  see  it  one  day  at  its 
proper  place,  the  next,  probably,  about  their 
heads,  and  the  third  around  their  necks ;  and 
80  on,  repeatedly  shifted  from  one  place  to 
another. 

Both  sexes  perforate  their  noses ;  and  from 
them,  the  men  often  suspend  an  ornament, 
consisting  of  a  piece  of  an  oyster  shell,  or  a 
email  piece  of  brass  or  copper.  The  women, 
particularly  those  who  are  young,  run  a 
wooden  pin  through  their  noses,  upon  each 
end  of  which  they  fix  a  kind  of  shell  bead, 
which  is  about  an  inch  and  an  half  long,  and 
nearly  the  size  of  the  stem  of  a  common  clay 
pipe.  These  beads,  they  obtain  from  their 
neighbours,  the  At-e-nfis,  who  purchase  them 
from  another  tribe,  that  is  said  to  take  them 
on  the  sea  shore,  where  they  are  reported  to 
be  found  in  pleuty. 

AU  the  Indians  in  this  part  of  the  coun- 
try, are  remarkably  fond  of  these  beads ;  and 
in  their  dealings  with  each  other,  they  consti- 
tute a  kind  of  circulating  medium,  like  the 
money  of  civilized  countries.  Twenty  of  these 
beads,  they  consider  as  equal  in  value  to  a 
beaver's  skin.  The  elderly  people  neglect  to 
ornament  their  heads,  in  the  same  manner  as 
they  do  the  rest  of  their  persons,  and  gener- 
ally wear  their  hair  short.  But  the  younger 
people  of  both  sexes,  who  feel  more  solicitous 
to  make  themselves  agreeable  to  each  other, 
wash  and  paint  their  faces,  and  let  their  hair 
grow  long.    The  paint  which  they  make  use 


246         ACCOUNT  OF  THE  INDIANS. 

of,  consists  of  vermilion,  which  they  occasion- 
ally obtain  from  us ;  or  more  commonly,  of  a 
red  stone,  pounded  fine,  of  which  there  are 
two  kinds.  The  powder  of  one  kind  of  these 
stones,  mixed  with  grease,  and  rubbed  upon 
theirfaces,  gives  them  a  glittering  appearance. 

The  young  women  and  girls  wear  a  parcel 
of  European  beads,  strung  together,  and  tied 
to  a  lock  of  hair,  directly  behind  each  ear. 
The  men  have  a  sort  of  collar  of  the  shell 
beads  already  mentioned,  which  they  wind 
about  their  heads,  or  throw  around  their 
necks.  In  the  summer  season,  both  sexes 
bathe  often ;  and  this  is  the  only  time,  when 
the  married  people  wash  themselves.  One  of 
their  customs  is  sufficient  to  evince  their  ex- 
treme filthiness,  and  that  is,  whenever  they 
blow  their  noses,  they  rub  the  mucus  between 
both  hands,  until  they  become  dry. 

Among  the  Carriers,  it  is  customary  for 
the  girls,  from  the  age  of  eight  to  eleven 
years,  to  wear  a  kind  of  veil  or  fringe  over 
their  eyes,  made  either  of  strung  beads,  or  of 
narrow  strips  of  deer  skin,  garnished  with 
porcupine  quiUs.  ^Tiile  of  this  age,  they  are 
not  allowed  to  eat  any  thing,  excepting  the 
driest  food ;  and  especially  they  may  not  eat 
the  head  of  any  animal.  If  they  should,  their 
relations,  as  they  imagine,  would  soon  lan- 
guish and  die.  The  women,  also,  during  their 
pregnancy,  and  for  some  time  after  they  are 
delivered,  are  restricted  to  the  same  kind  of 
food. 


ACCOUNT  OF  THE  INDIANS.         247 

The  lads,  as  soon  as  they  come  to  the  age 
of  pubert}',  tie  cords,  wound  with  swan's 
down,  around  each  leg,  a  little  below  the 
knee,  which  they  wear  during  one  year,  and 
then,  they  are  considered  as  men. 

The  Carriers  are  unusually  talkative;  and 
when  fifteen  or  twenty  of  them  get  into  a 
house,  they  make  an  intolerable  noise.  Men, 
women  and  children,  keep  their  tongues  con- 
stantly in  motion;  and  in  controversy,  he 
who  has  the  strongest  and  clearest  voice  is 
of  course  heard  the  most  easily,  and,  conse- 
quently, succeeds  best  in  his  argument.  They 
take  great  delight,  also,  in  singing,  or  hum- 
ming, or  whistling  a  dull  air.  In  short, 
whether  at  home  or  abroad,  they  can  hardly 
be  contented  with  their  mouths  shut.  It  was 
a  long  time  before  we  could  keep  them  still, 
when  they  came  to  our  forts.  And  even  yet? 
when  they  visit  us,  which  is  almost  every 
day,  during  the  whole  year,  they  will  often, 
inadvertently,  break  out  into  a  song.  But 
as  soon  as  we  check  them,  or  they  recollect 
of  themselves  what  they  are  about,  they  stop 
short ;  for  they  are  desirous  of  pleasing. 
The  above  trait  in  their  character,  certainly 
evinces  much  contentment  with  their  condi- 
tion, and  cheerfulness  of  spirit. 

Both  sexes,  of  almost  every  age,  are  much 
addicted  to  play,  or  rather  gambling.  They 
pass  the  greater  part  of  their  time,  especially 
in  the  winter  season,  and  both  days  and 
nights,  in  some  kind  of  game;  and  the  men 


248         ACCOUNT  OF  THE  IXDIAxNS. 

will  often  loose  the  last  rag  of  clothes,  which 
they  have  about  them.  But  so  far  from 
being  dejected  by  such  ill  fortune,  they  often 
appear  to  be  proud  of  having  lost  their  all; 
and  will  even  boastingly  say,  that  they  are 
as  naked  as  a  dog,  having  not  a  rag  with 
which  to  cover  themselves.  Should  they,  in 
such  circumstances,  meet  with  a  friend,  who 
should  lend  them  something  to  wrap  around 
their  bodies,  it  is  highly  probable,  that  they 
would  immediately  go  and  play  away  th» 
borrowed  garment.  Or,  if  the  borrower  be- 
longed to  another  village,  he  would  be  likely 
to  run  off  with  it,  and  the  owner  would 
never  hear  of  him  afterward;  for  I  never 
knew  a  Carrier  to  be  grateful  for  a  favour  be- 
stowed upon  him.  At  play,  they  often  loose 
a  part  of  a  garment,  as  the  sleeves  of  a  coat, 
which  some  of  them  now  purchase  from  us, 
a  whole,  or  the  half  of  a  leggin,  which  they 
will  tear  off,  and  deliver  to  the  winner.  They 
have  been  known  to  cut  off  a  foot  or  more 
of  their  guns,  when  lost  at  play;  for,  like 
more  gentlemanly  gamblers,  they  consider 
such  debts,  as  debts  of  honour. 

The  Carriers  are  not  so  ingenious  as  their 
neighbours,  the  Nate-ote-tains  and  At-e-nas. 
The  men,  however,  make  canoes,  which  are 
clumsily  wrought,  of  the  aspin  tree,  as  well  as 
of  the  bark  of  the  spruce  fir.  The  former, 
will  carry  from  half  a  ton  to  a  ton  and  a 
half  burthen,  while  the  latter,  will  carry 
from  one  to  four  grown  persons.    The  women 


ACCOUNT  OF  THE  INDIANS.         249 

make  excellent  nets,  of  the  inner  bark  of  the 
willow  tree,  and  of  nettles,  which  answer 
better  for  taking  small  fish,  than  any  which 
we  obtain  from  Canada,  made  of  twine  or 
thread. 

The  Carriers,  in  common  with  the  other 
Indian  tribes,  before  their  country  was  visited 
by  white  people,  made  use  of  stones,  instead 
of  axes,  and  of  bones,  for  knives;  and  with 
these,  they  constructed  wooden  dishes,  and 
other  vessels  of  the  rind  of  the  birch  and 
pine  trees,  &c.  Some  of  these  vessels  were 
used  to  cook  their  victuals  in,  and  many  of 
these  people  still  make  use  of  them ;  for  they 
are  too  poor  to  purchase  brass  or  copper 
kettles  from  us.  They  have,  also,  other  ves- 
sels, which  are  manufactured  of  the  small 
roots  or  fibers  of  the  cedar  or  pine  tree, 
closely  laced  together,  which  serve  them  as 
buckets  to  put  water  in.  I  have  seen  one  at 
Fraser's  Lake,  made  of  the  same  materials, 
that  would  hold  sixty  or  seventy  gallons, 
which  they  make  use  of  when  a  feast  is  given 
to  all  the  people  of  the  village.  All  the  ves- 
sels fabricated  of  roots,  as  well  as  the  most 
of  their  bows  and  arrows,  they  obtain  from 
their  neighbours,  above  mentioned. 

The  Carriers  are  remarkably  fond  of  their 
wives,  and  a  few  of  them  have  three  or  four ; 
but  polygamy  is  not  general  among  them. 
The  men  do  the  most  of  the  drudgery  about 
the  house,  such  as  cutting  and  drawing  fire 
wood,    and   bringing  water.     In  the  winter 


250         ACCOUNT  OF  THE  INDIANS. 

months,  they  drink  but  little  water;  but  to 
quench  their  thirst,  they  eat  half  melted 
snow,  which  they  generally  keep  on  the  top 
of  a  stick,  stuck  into  the  gTOund,  before  the 
fire. 

As  the  Carriers  are  fond  of  their  wives, 
they  are,  as  naturally  might  be  supposed, 
very  jealous  of  them ;  but  to  their  daughters, 
they  allow  every  liberty,  for  the  purpose,  as 
they  say,  of  keeping  the  young  men  from 
intercourse  with  the  married  women.  As  the 
young  women  may  thus  bestow  their  favours 
on  whom,  and  as  often  as  they  please,  with- 
out the  least  censure  from  their  parents,  or 
reproach  to  their  character,  it  might  nat- 
urally be  expected  that  they  would  be,  as 
I  am  informed  they  actually  are,  very  free 
with  their  persons.— In  the  following  par- 
ticular, the  Carriers  differ  from  all  the  other 
Indian  tribes,  with  whom  I  have  been  ac- 
quainted. Among  other  tribes,  the  father 
or  mother  in  law,  will  never,  excepting  when 
drunk,  speak  to  a  son  or  daughter  in  law ; 
but  the  Carriers  make  no  distinction,  in  this 
respect. 

The  Carriers  reside  a  part  of  the  year  in 
villages,  built  at  convenient  places  for  taking 
and  drying  salmon,  as  they  come  up  the 
rivers.  These  fish  they  take  in  abundance, 
with  little  labour ;  and  they  constitute  their 
principal  food,  during  the  whole  year.  They 
are  not  very  palatable  when  eaten  alone; 
but  with  vegetables,  they  are  pleasant  food. 


ACCOUNT  OF  THE  INDIANS.  251 

The  Natives,  however,  are  too  slothful  to 
raise  vegetables,  and  use  none,  excepting  a 
few  which  they  obtain  from  us. 

Toward  the  middle  of  April,  and  some- 
times sooner,  thej  leave  their  villages,  to  go 
and  pass  about  two  months  at  the  small 
lakes,  from  which,  at  that  season,  they  take 
white  fish,  trout,  carp,  «S:c.  in  considerable 
numbers.  But  when  these  begin  to  fail,  they 
return  to  their  villages,  and  subsist  on  the 
small  fish,  which  they  dried  when  at  the  lakes, 
or  on  salmon,  should  they  have  been  so 
provident  as  to  have  kept  any  until  that 
late  season;  or  they  eat  herbs,  the  inner 
bark  or  sap  of  the  cypress  tree,  berries,  »S:c. 
At  this  season,  few  fish  of  any  kind,  are  to  be 
taken  out  of  the  lakes  or  rivers  of  New  Cale- 
donia. In  this  manner  the  Natives  barely 
subsist,  until  about  the  middle  of  August, 
when  salmon  again  begin  to  make  their  ap- 
pearance, in  all  the  rivers  of  any  consider- 
able magnitude ;  and  they  have  them  at  most 
of  their  villages  in  plentj'',  until  the  latter  end 
of  September,  or  the  beginning  of  October. 
For  about  a  month,  they  come  up  in  crowds ; 
and  the  noses  of  some  of  them  are  either 
worn  or  rotten  off,  and  the  eyes  of  others 
have  perished  in  their  heads ;  and  j^et,  in  this 
maimed  condition,  they  are  surprisingly^  alert, 
in  coming  up  the  rapids.  These  maimed 
fishes  are  generally  at  the  head  of  large 
bands,  on  account  of  which,  the  Natives 
call  them  Mi-u-ties,  or  Chiefs.    The  Indians 


252         ACCOUNT  OF  THE  INDIANS. 

Bay  that  they  have  suffered  these  disasters, 
by  falling  back  among  the  stones,  when  com- 
ing up  diificult  places  in  the  rapids  which 
they  pass. 

The  Carriers  take  salmon  in  the  following 
manner.  All  the  Indians  of  the  village  assist 
in  making  a  dam  across  the  river,  in  which 
they  occasionally  leave  places,  to  insert  their 
baskets  or  nets  of  wicker  work.  These  bas- 
kets are  generally  from  fifteen  to  eighteen  feet 
in  length,  and  from  twelve  to  fifteen  feet  in 
circumference.  The  end  at  which  the  salmon 
enter,  is  made  with  twigs,  in  the  form  of  the 
entrance  of  a  wire  mouse  trap.  When  four 
or  five  hundred  salmon  have  entered  this 
basket,  they  either  take  it  to  the  shore  to 
empty  out  the  fish;  or  they  take  them  out 
at  a  door  in  the  top,  and  transport  them  to  the 
shore  in  their  large  wooden  canoes,  which  are 
convenient  for  this  purpose.  WTien  the  salmon 
are  thrown  upon  the  beach,  the  women  take 
out  their  entrails,  and  hang  them  by  their 
tails  on  poles,  in  the  open  air.  After  remain- 
ing in  this  situation  for  a  day  or  two,  they 
take  them  down  and  cut  them  thinner,  and 
then  leave  them  to  hang  for  about  a  month 
in  the  open  air,  when  they  will  have  become 
entirely  dry.  They  are  then  put  into  their 
store  houses,  which  are  built  on  four  posts, 
about  ten  feet  from  the  ground,  to  prevent 
animals  from  destroying  them;  and  pro- 
vided they  are  preserved  dry,  they  will  re- 
main good  for  several  years. 


ACCOUNT  OF  THE  INDIANS.         253 

The  Carriers  take  beavers  in  nets,  made 
of  thongs  of  cariboo  skins,  or  in  baskets 
made  of  young  cj-press  stadles;  and  some- 
times they  shoot  them  with  bows  and  arrows, 
or  guns,  or  take  them  in  steel  traps,  which 
we  sell  to  them,  and  of  which  tliey  begin  to 
understand  the  value.  Cats,  martins,  fishers, 
foxes,  minks,  &c.  they  take  in  a  kind  of 
spring  trap,  which  consists  of  a  large  piece 
of  wood,  which  these  animals,  by  nibbling 
at  the  bait,  cause  to  fall  upon  and  crush 
them.  Bears,  swans  and  hares  they  gener- 
ally take  in  snares,  and  the  cat,  also,  they 
sometimes  take  in  this  manner.  They  hunt 
the  beaver  and  bear,  more  for  the  sake  of 
their  flesh,  than  to  obtain  the  skins;  for 
it  is  with  the  meat  of  these  animals  that 
they  make  their  feasts,  in  remembrance  of 
their  deceased  relatives. 

At  such  festivals,  they  cut  up  as  many 
dressed  moose  and  red  deer  skins  as  they 
can  well  procure,  into  slips,  about  eighteen 
inches  long,  and  twelve  inches  broad,  and 
distribute  them  among  their  friends  and 
relatives.  And  they  firmly  believe,  that 
these  ceremonies  must  be  performed,  before 
their  departed  relative  can  be  at  rest,  in  the 
place  whither  he  has  gone,  which  they  think 
to  be  the  interiour  of  the  earth,  wliere  they 
expect  that  they  shall  all  at  length  be 
happy. 

The  Carriers  have  little  that  can  be  denom- 
inated civil  government,    in   the   regulation 


254         ACCOUNT  OF  THE  INDIANS. 

of  their  concerns.  There  are  some  persona 
among  them,  who  are  called  Mi-u-ties  or 
Chiefs,  and  for  whom  they  appear  to  have 
a  little  more  respect  than  for  the  others ; 
but  these  chiefs  have  not  much  authority  or 
influence  over  the  rest  of  the  community. 
Any  one  is  dubbed  a  Mi-u-ty,  who  is  able  and 
willing,  occasionally,  to  provide  a  feast,  for 
the  people  of  his  village.  An  Indian,  how- 
ever, who  has  killed  another,  or  been  guilty 
of  some  other  bad  action,  finds  the  house  or 
tent  of  the  chief  a  safe  retreat,  so  long  as  he 
is  allowed  to  remain  there.  But  as  soon  as 
he  leaves  it,  the  Chief  can  afford  the  criminal 
no  more  protection,  than  any  other  person  of 
the  village  can,  unless  he  lets  him  have  one 
of  his  garments.  This  garment  of  the  Chief, 
will  protect  a  malefactor  from  harm,  while 
he  wears  it ;  for  no  person  would  attack 
him,  while  clothed  with  this  safe  guard, 
sooner  than  he  would  attack  the  chief  him- 
self; and  if  he  should,  the  chief  would  revenge 
the  insult,  in  the  same  manner  as  if  it  were 
offered  directly  to  himself.  The  revenge  which 
the  Chief,  in  this  case,  would  take,  would  be 
to  destroy  the  life  of  the  offending  person, 
or  that  of  some  of  his  near  relations,  or  the 
life  of  one  of  the  same  tribe,  if  he  should 
happen  to  be  a  stranger. 

When  two  or  more  persons  disagree  at 
play,  as  is  frequently  the  case,  or  contend 
on  any  other  account,  the  chief,  or  some 
respectable    and   elderly   man,    will   step   in 


ACCOUNT  OF  THE  INDIANS.         255 

between  the  two  wranglers,  and  settle  the 
dispute,  generally  without  their  coming  to 
blows. 

The  people  of  every  viUage  have  a  certain 
extent  of  country,  which  they  consider  their 
own,  and  in  which  they  may  hunt  and  fish; 
but  they  may  not  transcend  these  bounds, 
without  purchasing  the  privilege  of  those 
who  claim  the  land.  Mountains  and  rivers 
serve  them  as  boundaries,  and  they  are  not 
often  broken  over. 

The  people  of  one  village  do  not  often  visit 
those  of  another,  as  there  are  generally  mis- 
understandings existing  between  them,  which 
are  occasioned  by  murders,  and  at  times 
by  the  hunting  of  the  people  of  one  village, 
in  a  clandestine  manner,  on  the  territories 
of  their  neighbours.  By  one  cause  or  another, 
they  are  kept  in  a  perpetual  broil.  They 
say  however,  that  murders  do  not  occur  so 
frequently  among  them  as  they  did  before 
they  were  visited  by  the  white  people. 

The  Carriers  are  the  most  ignorant  people 
among  whom  I  have  ever  been.  They  appear 
to  have  only  a  very  confused  and  limited 
idea  of  the  existence  of  a  Supreme  Being, 
the  maker  and  governour  of  the  world,  or 
of  the  devil  or  any  evil  spirit;  and  they, 
therefore,  neither  worship  the  former  nor  fear 
the  latter.  But  they  believe,  as  it  has  been 
already  observed,  in  the  immortality  of  the 
soul,  and  think  when  it  leaves  its  present 
body,  it  goes  into  the  bowels  of  the  earth, 


256         ACCOUNT  OF  THE  INDIANS. 

where,  they  suppose  it  will  be  more  happy 
than  when  an  inhabitant  of  its  surface.  But 
they  seem  to  have  no  idea  of  future  rewards 
or  punishments,  in  consequence  of  any  thing 
which  they  may  have  done,  while  resident 
on  earth.  And  whether  the  soul  will  be  fur- 
nished with  another  body,  when  it  leaves 
that  which  it  animated  on  earth,  they  say 
they  cannot  tell,  it  being,  as  they  add,  be- 
yond their  comprehension.  They  firmly  be- 
lieve, however,  that  a  departed  soul  can,  if  it 
pleases,  come  back  to  the  earth,  in  a  human 
shape  or  body,  in  order  to  see  his  friends, 
who  are  still  alive.  Therefore,  as  they 
are  about  to  set  fire  to  the  pile  of  wood, 
on  which  a  corpse  is  laid,  a  relation  of  the 
deceased  person  stands  at  his  feet,  and  asks 
him  if  he  will  ever  come  back  among  them. 
Then  the  priest  or  magician,  with  a  grave 
countenance,  stands  at  the  head  of  the  corpse, 
and  looks  through  both  his  hands  on  its 
naked  breast,  and  then  raises  them  toward 
heaven,  and  blows  through  them,  as  they 
say,  the  soul  of  the  deceased,  that  it  may 
go  and  find,  and  enter  into  a  relative.  Or, 
if  any  relative  is  present,  the  priest  will  hold 
his  hands  on  the  head  of  this  person,  and 
blow  through  them,  that  the  spirit  of  the 
deceased  may  enter  into  him  or  her;  and 
then,  as  they  affirm,  the  first  child  which 
this  person  has,  will  possess  the  soul  of  the 
deceased  person. 

When  the  Carriers  are  severely  sick,  they 


ACCOUNT  OF  TEE  INDIANS.  257 

often  think  that  they  shall  not  recover,  un- 
less they  divulge  to  a  priest  or  magician, 
every  crime  which  they  may  have  committed, 
which  has  hitherto  been  kept  secret.  In  such 
a  case,  they  will  make  a  full  confession,  and 
then  they  expect  that  their  lives  will  be 
spared,  for  a  time  longer.  But  should  they 
keep  back  a  single  crime,  they  as  fully  believe 
that  they  shall  suffer  almost  instant  death. 
The  crimes  which  they  most  frequently  con- 
fess, discover  something  of  their  moral  char- 
acter, and  therefore  deserve  to  be  mentioned. 
A  man  will  often  acknowledge  that  he  has 
had  a  criminal  and  incestuous  connexion  with 
his  own  daughter  or  sister,  or  a  crimmal  inter- 
course with  a  bitch  !  and  a  woman  will  con- 
fess, that  she  has  had  the  same  infamous  con- 
nexion with  her  own  relations,  or  with  a  dog  ! 
Murder  is  not  considered  by  the  Carriers 
as  a  crime  of  great  magnitude;  and,  there- 
fore, it  makes  no  part  of  their  acknowledg- 
ments, in  their  confessions  to  the  priests  or 
Jiagicians.  If  a  murder  be  committed  on  a 
)erson  belonging  to  a  tribe  with  whom  they 
are  at  enmity,  they  regard  it  as  a  brave  and 
noble  action.  Should  one  Indian  kill  another, 
belonging  to  the  same  village  with  himself, 
the  murderer  is  considered  as  a  person  void 
of  sense;  and  he  must  quit  his  village  and 
remain  away,  until  he  can  pay  the  relations 
of  the  deceased  for  the  murder;  and  even 
after  this  has  been  done,  it  often  occasions 
quarrels,  between  the  parties. 


258         ACCOUNT  OF  THE  INDIANS. 

The  Carriers  are  so  very  credulous,  and 
have  so  exalted  an  opinion  of  us,  that  they 
firmly  believe,  though  I  have  often  assured 
them  of  the  contrary,  that  any  of  the 
Traders  or  Chiefs,  as  they  call  us,  can,  at 
pleasure,  make  it  fair  or  foul  weather.  And 
even  yet  when  they  are  preparing  to  set  out 
on  an  excursion,  they  will  come  and  offer  to 
pay  us,  provided  we  will  make  or  allow  it 
to  be  fair  weather,  during  their  absence 
from  their  homes.  They  often  inquire  of  us 
whether  salmon,  that  year,  will  be  in  plenty 
in  their  rivers.  They  also  think,  that  by 
merely  looking  into  our  books,  we  can  cause 
a  sick  person  to  recover,  let  the  distance 
which  he  may  be  from  us  be  ever  so  great. 
In  short,  they  look  upon  those  who  can 
read  and  write,  as  a  kind  of  supernatural 
beings,  who  know  all  that  is  past,  and  who 
can  see  into  futurity. 

For  a  considerable  time  after  we  had  been 
among  them,  they  were  fully  of  the  opinion, 
that  the  white  people  had  neither  fathers  nor 
mothers ;  but  came  into  the  world  in  a  super- 
natural way,  or  were  placed  on  the  earth 
by  the  sun  or  moon. 

As  a  further  specimen  of  their  limited 
conceptions,  they  now  firmly  believe  that  a 
watch  is  the  heart  of  the  sun,  because  it  is 
ever  in  motion,  as  they  say,  like  that  great 
body  of  light.  They  add  further,  that  unless 
a  watch  and  the  sun  were  nearly  related,  it 
would  be  impossible  for  the  watch,  consider- 


ACCOUNT  OF  THE  INDIANS.         259 

ing  the  distance  which  there  is  between  them, 
to  point  out  so  precisely  the  minute  when 
the  sun  is  to  make  its  appearance  and  to 
leave  us.  In  short,  they  say  that  the  one 
must  know  perfectly  well  what  the  other  is 
about,  and  that  there  must  be  the  same  con- 
nexion between  them,  as  between  the  mem- 
bers of  the  human  body. 

The  Carriers  give  the  following  account 
of  a  tradition,  which  they  believe,  respecting 
the  formation  of  the  earth,  and  the  general 
destruction  of  mankind,  in  an  early  period 
of  the  world.  Water  at  first  overspread  the 
face  of  the  world,  which  is  a  plain  surface. 
At  the  top  of  the  water,  a  muskrat  was 
swimming  about,  in  different  directions.  At 
length  he  concluded  to  dive  to  the  bottom,  to 
see  what  he  could  find,  on  which  to  subsist ; 
but  he  found  nothing  but  mud,  a  little  of 
which  he  brought  in  his  mouth,  and  placed 
it  on  the  surface  of  the  water,  where  it  re- 
mained. He  then  went  for  more  mud,  and 
placed  it  with  that  already  brought  up ;  and 
thus  he  continued  his  operations,  until  he 
had  formed  a  considerable  hillock.  This 
land  increased  by  degrees,  until  it  overspread 
a  large  part  of  the  world,  which  assumed 
at  length  its  present  form.  The  earth,  in 
process  of  time,  became  peopled  in  every 
part,  and  remained  in  this  condition  for 
many  years.  Afterwards  a  fire  run  over  it  all, 
and  destroyed  every  human  being,  excepting 
one  man  and  one  woman.    Thev  saved  them- 


260  ACCOUNT  OF  THE  INDIANS. 

selves  by  going  into  a  deep  cave,  in  a  large 
mountain,  where  they  remained  for  several 
days,  until  the  fire  was  extinguished.  They 
then  came  forth  from  their  hiding  place ;  and 
from  these  two  persons,  the  whole  earth  has 
been  peopled. 

Besides  the  feasts,  made  for  their  dead, 
which  have  been  described  in  my  Journal, 
the  Carriers  give  others,  merely  to  enter- 
tain their  guests,  who  are  frequently  all  the 
people  of  a  village,  as  well  as  a  few  who 
belong  to  a  neighbouring  village.  The  follow- 
ing ceremonies  attend  such  festivals.  The 
person  w^ho  makes  the  entertainment,  who  is 
always  a  Chief,  boils  or  roasts  several  whole 
beavers ;  and  as  soon  as  his  guests  are  seated 
around  a  fire,  which  is  in  the  centre  of  his 
house,  he  takes  up  a  whole  beaver,  and  with 
a  raised  voice,  relates  how  and  where  he 
killed  it,  that  all  present  may  know  that  it 
came  from  his  own  land.  After  that  neces- 
sary explanation  is  over,  he  steps  forward, 
and  presents  the  tail  end  to  the  most  re- 
spectable person  of  the  house,  and  stands 
holding  the  animal  with  both  hands  until 
this  person  has  eaten  what  he  chooses.  The 
chief  then  passes  on  with  his  beaver  to  the 
second  person,  who  eats  as  the  first  had 
done ;  and  then  to  a  third ;  and  so  on,  until 
he  has  presented  it  to  the  v/hole circle.  Should 
any  part  now  remain,  it  is  laid  down  near 
the  centre  of  the  house;  and  another  whole 
beaver  is  taken  up,  which  is  served  round 


ACCOUNT  OF  THE  INDIANS.  261 

in  the  same  manner  as  the  first.  And  thus 
the  chief  continues  to  do,  until  his  guests 
have  tasted  of  every  beaver,  which  he  had 
prepared  for  the  feast.  The  remaining  frag- 
ments of  the  beavers,  are  now  cut  up  into 
smaller  pieces,  and  distributed  among  the 
women  and  children,  or  put  into  dishes, 
which  the  men  have  before  them,  and  which 
they  alwaj's  bring  with  them,  when  they 
attend  upon  a  feast.  The  women  then  come 
in  with  large  dishes  full  of  berries,  and  each 
puts  a  ladle  full  into  every  dish  of  the  men. 
When  they  have  eaten  what  they  choose  of 
the  berries,  (for  the  Indians  never  urge  their 
guests  to  eat  more  than  they  please)  both 
men  and  women  join,  in  singing  several 
songs.  The  airs  of  many  of  these  songs, 
which  have  been  composed  and  set  to  musick, 
by  their  poets,  expressly  for  the  occasion, 
greatly  resemble  those  which  I  have  heard 
sung,  in  Roman  Catholic  churches.  After 
singing  is  concluded,  each  guest  rises,  with 
his  dish  and  whatever  it  contains,  and  returns 
to  his  own  dwelling,  and  thus  the  festival 
ends.  At  these  feasts,  there  are  frequently 
Indians,  who  will  drink  at  least  a  quart  of 
melted  bear's  oil,  merely  to  show  how  much 
they  can  drink. 

At  some  of  their  festivals,  the  men  and 
women  join  in  a  dance.  Their  musick  on 
these  occasions,  consists  of  the  singing  of 
one  person  or  more,  accompanied  by  the 
shaking  of  the  she-she-qui,  which  is,  ordinari- 


262         ACCOUNT  OF  THE  INDIANS. 

ly,  a  covered  dish,  with  a  handle ;  but  some- 
times it  is  curiously  made  in  the  form  of  a 
bird,  and  within  it,  are  either  gravel  stones 
or  shot.  Others  beat  on  a  drum,  with  but 
one  head;  and  these  are  all  the  musical  in- 
struments, if  they  can  with  propriety  be  so 
denominated,  which  I  have  ever  seen  among 
them.  When  they  dance,  they  paint  their 
faces,  and  put  swan's  down  on  their  heads, 
and  while  they  are  dancing,  others  are  al- 
most continually  blowing  more  through  both 
their  hands,  on  the  dancers.  They  have 
not  many  different  kinds  of  dancing;  but 
they  have  a  great  variety  of  songs,  the  airs 
of  which  are  pleasant  to  the  ear  when  heard 
at  some  distance  from  the  singers,  who  gener- 
ally have  strong  voices.  All  Indians  have 
accurate  ears ;  and,  therefore,  they  keep  exact 
time  when  they  dance  or  sing. 

The  Carriers  are  almost  entirely  ignorant 
of  medicine,  not  having  any  knowledge  of 
the  virtue  which  is  found  in  roots  and  herbs, 
when  administered  to  the  sick.  When  one  of 
them  is  sick,  they  call  in  the  priest  or  doctor, 
for  the  same  person  discharges  the  functions 
of  both;  and  he  is  joined  by  several  other 
persons  in  singing  a  very  melancholy  air, 
over  the  sick  person,  which  they  think  serves 
greatly  to  mitigate  his  pain,  and  often  re- 
stores him  to  perfect  health.  Before  the 
doctor  will  afford  his  assistance,  in  doing 
which  he  makes  many  jestures,  and  goes 
through  much  ceremony,  he  must  receive  a' 


ACCOUNT  OF  THE  INDIANS.         263 

present.  But  should  his  patient  die  under 
his  care,  he  must  restore  to  the  relations  of 
the  deceased,  the  present  which  he  had  re- 
ceived. The  Carriers  are  the  only  Indians 
with  whom  I  have  been  acquainted,  who 
make  no  use  of  roots  and  herbs,  and  the 
bark  of  certain  trees,  with  the  sick.  They, 
however,  place  great  confidence  in  our  medi- 
cines. 

During  the  winter  months  many  of  the 
Carriers  make  their  dwellings  in  the  earth, 
in  the  following  manner.  They  dig  a  hole 
in  the  ground  to  the  depth  of  about  two 
feet,  from  the  opposite  sides  of  which,  they 
erect  two  considerable  sticks,  to  support 
a  ridge-pole.  They  then  lay  poles  from  the 
margin  of  the  hole  to  the  ridge-pole,  until 
they  have  completely  enclosed  the  dwelling, 
excepting  a  hole  which  is  left  near  the  top, 
which  serves  the  double  purpose  of  a  door 
by  which  they  enter,  and  leave  the  hut,  upon 
an  upright  post,  in  which,  notches  are  cut; 
and  an  opening  for  the  smoke  to  pass  off. 
The  poles  are  made  tight,  by  stopping  the 
interstices  with  hay,  or  by  covering  them 
with  bark;  and  dirt  is  then  thrown  over 
them,  to  a  considerable  thickness.  These 
huts  are  far  from  being  healthy;  but  they 
are  commodious  for  people  who  are  clad  as 
poorly,  as  are  most  of  the  Carriers. 

The  Indians  on  the  west  side  of  the  Rocky 
Mountain,  erect  buildings,  in  which  they 
deposit  the  ashes  and  bones  of  their  dead. 


264         ACCOUNT  OF  THE  INDIANS. 

The  side  posts  of  these  structures,  are  about 
six  feet  high;  a  roof,  covered  with  bark,  is 
erected  upon  these  posts,  in  the  form  of  the 
roofs  of  houses  in  the  civilized  part  of  the 
world;  and  around  their  sides,  are  broad 
boards,  made  by  splitting  trees,  which  they 
hew,  and  then  smooth  over  with  a  crooked 
knife.  On  these  boards,  which  are  about  an 
inch  thick,  they  paint  images  to  represent 
the  sun,  moon,  stars  and  different  kinds  of 
animals.  Within  these  buildings,  the  remains 
of  the  dead  are  contained  in  boxes,  of  dif- 
ferent dimensions,  which  in  some  instances, 
stand  on  the  top  of  one  upright  post,  and 
in  other  cases,  are  supported  by  four.  The 
paints  which  they  use,  in  describing  the 
figures  on  these  buildings,  consist  of  black 
and  red  stones,  which  they  grind  fine,  and 
of  a  yellow  and  a  red  earth.  These  sub- 
stances, they  mix  with  glue,  which  they 
obtain  by  boiling  the  feet  of  the  buffaloe, 
or  from  the  inside  of  sturgeon,  where  these 
fish  are  in  plenty.  They  put  on  their  paints 
with  a  brush,  made  of  the  hair  which  they 
take  from  the  leg  of  the  moose. 

Among  the  Carriers,  there  are  some  con- 
jurors, who  whenever  they  please,  will  vomit 
blood,  or  swallow  a  small  toad,  alive.  By 
doing  the  latter,  however,  they  are  made 
sick,  for  three  or  four  days;  and  yet  they 
are  ever  ready  to  do  it,  for  a  mere  trifling 
recompense. 

Among    the    Indians    who    inhabit    New 


ACCOUNT  OF  THE  INDIANS.         265 

Caledonia,  the  Sicannies  deserve  to  be  men- 
tioned. They  are  a  small  part  of  a  tribe 
who,  but  a  few  years  since,  came  from  the 
east  side  of  the  Rocky  Mountain.  Th«y  now 
bring  the  produce  of  their  hunts  to  McLeod's 
Lake.  The  winter  months,  however,  a  greater 
part  of  them  pass  among  their  relations, 
on  the  east  side  of  the  Mountain,  where 
they  subsist  on  buffaloe,  moose  and  red 
deer.  Notwithstanding  they  are  tolerable 
hunters,  they  would  not  be  able  to  kill  a 
suflaciency  of  beavers  to  serve  themselves 
and  families,  during  the  winter,  where  the 
snow  is  so  deep,  as  it  generally  is  in  New 
Caledonia. 

The  people  who  are  now  called  Si-can-nies, 
I  suspect,  at  no  distant  period,  belonged 
to  the  tribe,  called  Beaver  Indians,  who 
inhabit  the  lower  part  of  Peace  River;  for 
they  differ  but  little  from  them  in  dialect, 
manners,  customs,  &c.  Some  misunderstand- 
ing between  the  Sicannies  and  the  rest  of  the 
tribe  to  which  they  formerly  belonged,  prob- 
ably drove  them  from  place  to  place,  up 
Peace  River,  until  they  were,  at  length, 
obliged  to  cross  the  Rocky  Mountain.  The 
Sicannies,  are  more  brave,  and  better  armed 
than  the  Carriers,  who  have,  as  yet,  but 
few  fire  arms;  and  it  is  probable  that  the 
former  will  make  encroachments  upon  the 
latter.  The  Sicannies,  however,  are  a  wretch- 
ed people;  for  they  suffer  greatly  for  the 
want  of  food,  during  nearly  one  fourth  part 


266  ACCOUNT  OF  THE  INDIANS. 

of  the  year,  when  they  barely  support  life, 
by  means  of  a  few  unpalatable  roots.  Yet 
they  are  remarkably  fond  of  the  country, 
where  they  now  are;  and  frequently  inter- 
marry with  the  Carriers,  and  pass  a  part 
of  their  time  with  them,  at  their  villages. 
They  have,  also,  adopted  many  of  the  cus- 
toms of  the  Carriers,  one  of  which  is,  to 
burn  their  dead ;  whereas,  while  they  resided 
on  the  other  side  of  the  Mountain,  they 
were  accustomed  to  bury  them  in  the  earth. 
The  Sicannies  are  not  an  ingenious  people; 
and  I  know  of  nothing  which  they  manu- 
facture, excepting  a  few  ill  wrought  bows 
and  arrows,  wooden  dishes,  &c. 

There  is  a  tribe  of  Indians  not  far  from 
the  Columbia  River,  who  are  called  Flat- 
Heads.  By  fixing  boards  upon  the  heads 
of  their  children,  they  compress  them  in  such 
a  manner  as  to  cause  them  to  assume  the 
form  of  a  wedge.  Another  tribe  in  New 
Caledonia,  denominated  Nate-ote-tains,  pierce 
a  hole  through  the  under  lips  of  their  daugh- 
ters, into  which  they  insert  a  piece  of  wood, 
in  the  shape  of  the  wheel  of  a  pulley;  and 
as  the  girls  grow  up,  this  wheel  is  enlarged, 
so  that  a  woman  of  thirty  years  of  age, 
will  have  one  nearly  as  large  as  a  dollar. 
This  they  consider,  adds  much  to  their  beauty ; 
but  these  wheels  are  certainly  very  incon- 
venient, and  to  us,  they  appear  very  un- 
couth and  disagreeable. 


A  GENERAL 

ACCOUNT  OF  THE  INDIANS 

ON  THE  EAST  SIDE  OF  THE 

ROCKY   MOUNTAIN. 


ACCOUNT,  &c.- 


I  have  been  acquainted  with  fifteen  dif- 
ferent tribes  of  Indians,  which  are  the  Sau- 
teux,  Crees,  Assiniboins,  Rapid  Indians, 
Black  feet  Indians,  Blood  Indians,  Sursees, 
Cautouies,  Muskagoes,  Chipeways,  Beaver  In- 
dians, Sicannies,  Ta-cullies,  Atenas  and  Nate- 
ote-tains.  The  parts  of  the  country,  which 
they  severally  inhabit,  have  already  been 
noticed,  in  my  Journal. 

The  tribes  that  are  the  most  enlightened, 
and  that  have  advanced  the  farthest  toward 
a  state  of  civilization,  are  the  Sauteux  or 
Chipeways,  the  Muskagoes  and  the  Crees, 
or  Knisteneux,  as  they  have  been  sometimes 
denominated.  These  tribes  have  a  greater 
knowledge  than  the  other  Indians,  of  the 
medicinal  qualities  of  the  bark  of  trees,  and 
of  herbs,  roots,  &c.  and  their  medical  skill, 
enables  them  heavily  to  tax  the  other  tribes. 
Indeed,  their  medicines,  with  their  skill  in 
regard  to  their  application,  form  considerable 
articles  of  commerce  with  their  neighbours. 
Sometimes,  for  a  handsome  compensation, 
they  will  instruct  a  person  where  to  procure 


270         ACCOUNT  OF  THE  INDIANS. 

ingredients,  and  how  to  prepare  them  as 
medicines,  to  be  used  in  particular  cases. 
It  is  very  probable,  however,  that  the  In- 
dian doctors,  like  some  apothecaries  in  the 
civilized  world,  sell  some  medicines,  of  little 
or  no  value.  It  is  also  well  known  to  those 
acquainted  with  the  Indians,  that  their 
physicians  frequently''  effect  cures  with  their 
roots,  herbs,  &c.  in  cases,  which  would  baffle 
the  skill  and  the  drugs,  of  a  scientifick  phy- 
sician. 

The  white  people  have  been  among  the 
above  mentioned  tribes,  for  about  one  hun- 
dred and  fifty  years.  To  this  circumstance 
it  is  probably  to  be  attributed,  that  the 
knowledge  of  these  Indians  is  more  extensive, 
than  that  of  the  other  tribes.  But  I  very 
much  question  whether  they  have  improved 
in  their  character  or  condition,  by  their 
acquaintance  with  civilized  people.  In  their 
savage  state,  they  were  contented  with  the 
mere  necessaries  of  life,  which  they  could 
procure,  with  considerable  ease;  but  now 
they  have  many  artificial  wants,  created  by 
the  luxuries  which  we  have  introduced  among 
them;  and  as  they  find  it  difficult  to  obtain 
these  luxuries,  they  have  become,  to  a  degree, 
discontented  with  their  condition,  and  prac- 
tise fraud  in  their  dealings.  A  half  civilized 
Indian  is  more  savage,  than  one  in  his  orig- 
inal state.  The  latter  has  some  sense  of 
honour,  while  the  former  has  none.  I  have 
always  experienced  the  greatest  hospitality 


ACCOUNT  OF  THE  INDIANS.         271 

and  kindness  among  those  Indians,  who 
have  had  the  least  intercourse  with  white 
people.  They  readily  discover  and  adopt 
our  evil  practices ;  but  they  are  not  as  quick 
to  discern,  and  as  ready  to  follow  the  few 
good  examples,  which  we  set  before  them. 

The  Indians  in  general,  are  subject  to 
few  diseases.  The  venereal  complaint  is 
common  to  all  the  tribes  of  the  north ;  many 
persons  among  them,  die  of  a  consumption; 
fevers,  also,  frequently  attack  them ;  and 
they  are  likewise  troubled  with  pains  in  their 
heads,  breasts  and  joints.  Many  of  them, 
and  especially  the  women,  are  subject  to 
fits.  For  a  relief,  in  nearly  all  of  their  dis- 
eases, they  resort  to  their  grand  remedy, 
sweating. 

There  is  no  material  difference  in  the  size, 
features  and  complexion  of  the  diiierent 
tribes,  with  whom  I  have  been  acquainted. 
The  Sauteux,  Crees  and  Assiniboins,  to- 
gether with  the  other  Indians  who  inhabit 
the  prairies,  are,  however,  the  fairest  and 
most  cleanly.  The  Sauteux  women  differ 
from  all  others,  by  turning  their  toes  very 
much  inwards,  in  walking.  The  Assiniboins, 
of  both  sexes,  are  the  best  made,  and  walk 
the  most  erect,  of  any  tribe  that  I  have 
ever  seen.  Fools  and  disfigured  persons,  are 
seldom  to  be  met  with  among  the  Indians; 
the  reason  of  which,  I  believe  to  be,  that 
their  mothers  put  them  to  death  as  soon 
as  they  discover  their  unhappy  condition. 


272         ACCOUNT  OF  THE  INDIANS. 

All  Indian  children,  when  young,  are  laced 
in  a  kind  cf  bag.  This  bag  is  made  of  a 
piece  of  leather,  about  two  feet  square,  by 
drawing  a  string,  inserted  in  the  lower  end, 
and  lacing  the  two  sides  together.  Some 
moss  is  placed  in  the  bottom  of  this  bag; 
the  child  is  then  laid  into  it,  and  moss  is 
inserted  between  its  legs.  The  bag  is  then 
laced  the  fore  side  of  the  child  as  high  as 
its  neck.  This  bag  is  laid  upon  a  board,  to 
which  it  is  fastened  by  means  of  a  strip  of 
leather,  passing  several  times  round  both 
the  board  and  the  bag.  At  the  top  of  this 
board,  a  bow  passes  round  from  one  side 
to  the  other,  perpendicular  to  its  surface, 
on  which  the  Indians  fasten  small  bells, 
which  they  obtain  from  us,  or  the  claws 
of  animals,  by  way  of  ornament,  and  which 
rattle, when  the  child  is  carried  by  its  mother, 
suspended  from  her  shoulders,  by  means  of  a 
cord  or  belt  fastened  to  the  board.  From 
two  points  in  this  bow,  equally  distant  from 
the  board,  two  strips  of  leather,  worked 
with  porcupine  quills,  are  suspended,  at  the 
ends  of  which,  tassels,  composed  of  moose 
hair,  are  fixed.  This  bag  is  commonly  orna- 
mented, in  different  parts,  with  porcupine 
quills.  The  women  who  are  particular  in 
keeping  their  children  clean,  shift  the  moss 
which  is  put  into  these  bags,  several  times 
in  a  day;  but  others  do  it  not  more  than 
twice.  They  often  fix  conductors  so  that 
their  male  children  never  wet  the  moss.    The 


ACCOUNT  OF  THE  INDIANS.         273 

Carrier  women  will  nurse  their  children, 
when  thus  suspended  at  their  backs,  either 
by  throwing  their  breasts  over  their  shoul- 
ders or  under  their  arms.  Their  breasts  are 
larger  and  longer  than  those  of  the  other 
tribes ;  but  I  am  unable  to  assign  any  cause 
for  this  peculiarit3\ 

The  dress  of  the  Indians  is  simple  and 
convenient.  They  wear  tight  leggins,  each 
of  which  is  composed  of  a  single  piece  of 
leather  or  cloth,  sewed  up  with  a  single 
seam,  about  an  inch  from  the  edge,  which 
projects  upon  the  outside.  These  garments 
reach  from  the  ancle  nearly  to  the  hip.  They 
have  a  strip  of  cloth  or  leather,  called  assi- 
an,  about  a  foot  wide,  and  five  feet  long, 
which  passes  between  the  legs,  and  over  a 
thong  tied  round  the  waist,  so  that  the 
ends  hang  down,  behind  and  before.  The 
body  is  covered  with  a  shirt,  reaching  down 
to  the  thighs,  which  is  belted  with  a  broad 
piece  of  parchment,  fastened  together  behind. 
They  wear  a  cap  upon  the  head,  composed 
of  a  single  piece  of  fur  sewed  up,  or  of  the 
skin  of  a  small  animal  of  a  suitable  size, 
which  is  cut  off  at  both  ends,  and  sewed  up 
at  the  top;  and  at  some  times  it  is  only 
cut  off  at  the  end  towards  the  head,  while 
the  tail  is  left  at  the  top,  to  hang  down 
behind,  by  way  of  ornament.  They  have, 
also,  at  the  proper  season,  the  tail  of  a 
buffaloe,  fastened  to  one  of  their  wrists, 
which  they  use  in  keeping  off  flies.  A  sort 
i8 


274  ACCOUNT  OF  THE  INDIANS. 

of  robe  or  blanket  is  occasionally  wora  c  c/ 
the  rest  of  their  dress.  They  also  wear  shoes 
and  mittens.  The  articles  of  their  clothing 
by  day,  constitute  their  covering  when  they 
lie  down  at  night.  The  materials  of  which 
their  clothing  is  composed  vary  with  the 
season,  consisting  of  dressed  moose  skins, 
beaver  prepared  with  the  fur,  or  European 
woollens.  The  leather,  they  frequently  paint 
or  work  with  porcupine  quills,  with  no  small 
degree  of  taste.  The  skirts  of  their  shirts, 
and  the  seams  of  their  leggins,  are  often 
ornamented  with  fringe  and  tassels,  com- 
posed of  the  hair  of  the  moose,  which  la 
naturally  white,  but  which  they  die  yellow 
and  red.  Their  shoes  and  mittens  have, 
likewise,  an  appropriate  decoration.  At  a 
feast  or  dance,  they  wear  the  feathers  of  the 
swan,  eagle  and  other  birds;  and  they  oc- 
casionally wind  a  string  of  the  teeth,  horns 
and  claws  of  different  animals,  around  their 
head  or  neck.  They  all  rub  greese  upon  their 
hair,  which  gives  it  a  smooth  and  glossy 
appearance. 

It  belongs  to  the  women  to  make  up  the 
articles  of  clothing.  In  sewing  leather,  in- 
stead of  thread,  they  make  use  of  the  sinews 
of  animals.  When  this  substance  is  some 
moistened,  they  separate  a  fibre,  and  by 
running  their  finger  along  between  it  and 
the  main  sinew,  they  part  it  to  a  sufficient 
length.  The  sinews  of  the  cariboo  may  be 
made  as  fine  and  even,  as  fine  thread.    These 


ACCOUNT  OF  THE  INDIANS.         275 

fibres,  when  thus  separated,  they  twist  at 
one  end  between  their  fingers,  which  gives 
them  a  sharp  stiff  point,  when  they  are  dry. 
They  use  awls,  which  they  obtain  from  us, 
or  an  instrument  of  bone  which  they  con- 
struct themselves,  in  sewing.  The  men  paint 
their  faces  and  ornament  their  persons,  with 
no  less  care  than  the  women;  and  the  mar- 
ried women,  while  they  neglect  not  their 
own  persons,  are  still  more  attentive  to  the 
appearance  of  their  husbands.  The  young 
women  often  make  some  ornamental  articles, 
particularly  garters,  neatly  worked  with 
porcupine  quills  and  present  them  to  their 
favourites;  and  the  standing  of  a  young 
male  Carrier  among  the  young  females  may 
often  be  determined  by  the  number  of  garters 
which  he  wears. 

The  female  dress  is  made  of  the  same 
materials  as  that  of  the  men,  but  differently 
constructed  and  arranged.  Their  shoes  are 
without  ornament ;  their  leggins  are  gartered 
beneath  the  knee;  the  shirt  or  coat,  which 
is  so  long  as  to  reach  the  middle  of  the  leg, 
is  tied  at  the  neck,  is  fringed  around  the 
bottom,  and  fancifully  painted,  as  high  as 
the  knee.  Being  very  loose,  it  is  girded 
around  the  waist  with  a  stiff  belt,  ornamented 
with  tassels,  and  fastened  behind.  The 
arms  are  covered  as  low  as  the  wrists  with 
sleeves,  which  are  not  connected  with  the 
body  garment.  These  sleeves  are  sewed  up, 
as  far  as  the  bend  of  the  arm,  having  the 


276  ACCOUNT  OF  THE  INDIANS. 

seam  the  under  side;  and  extend  to  the 
shoulders,  becoming  broader  toward  the 
upper  end,  so  that  the  corners  hang  down 
as  low  as  the  waist.  They  are  connected 
together,  and  kept  on,  bj'  a  cord,  extending 
from  one  to  the  other,  across  the  shoulders. 
The  cap,  when  they  have  one,  consists  of  a 
piece  of  cloth,  about  two  feet  square,  doubled, 
and  sewed  up  at  one  end,  which  forms  an 
enclosure  for  the  head;  and  it  is  tied  under 
the  chin.  The  bottom  of  it  falls  down  the 
back,  like  a  cape,  and  in  the  centre,  is  tied 
to  the  belt.  This  cap  is  fancifully  garnished 
with  ribbon,  beads  or  porcupine  quills.  The 
upper  garment,  is  a  robe  or  garment,  similar 
to  that  worn  by  the  men.  Their  hair  is 
parted  on  the  top  of  the  head,  and  tied 
behind;  or,  at  some  times,  it  is  fastened 
in  large  knots  over  the  ears,  and  covered 
with  beads  of  various  colours.  They  prefer 
European  clothes,  when  they  can  obtain 
them,  to  the  skins,  furnished  by  their  own 
country.  For  ornaments  they  use  bracelets, 
composed  of  brass,  bone  or  horn ;  and  rings, 
and  similar  trinkets.  Some  of  the  women 
tattoo  a  line,  which  is  sometimes  double, 
from  the  middle  of  the  under  lip,  to  the 
center  of  the  chin ;  and  two  other  lines,  ex- 
tending from  the  corners  of  the  mouth,  eome- 
what  diverging  from  the  other  line,  down 
the  sides  of  the  chin. 

The  greater  part  of  the  Indians,  who  make 
use  of  European  cloths  for  their   dress,  fre- 


ACCOUNT  OF  THE  INDIANS.  277 

quently  cleanse  them,  by  washing  them  in 
cold  water,  without  soap.  They  do  not 
understand  the  art  of  making  soap ;  and  if 
they  did,  the  process  is  so  laborious,  that 
they  would  readily  forego  the  use  of  this 
article,  which  they  consider  of  very  little 
value.  When  their  clothing  consists  of  leather, 
they  occasionally  cleanse  it,  by  rubbing  it 
over  with  a  ball  of  white  earth.  This  earth, 
which  is  the  same  wliich  we  use  for  white 
washing,  they  moisten,  and  mould  into  balls, 
and  thus  preserve  it  for  use. 

The  Indians  who  subsist  principall}'  on 
fish,  and  who  kill  but  few  large  animals, 
cover  their  habitations  with  some  kind  of 
bark,  or  with  mats  made  of  rushes.  But 
those  who  subsist  on  the  buffaloe,  moose 
and  red  deer,  dress  their  skins,  and  cover 
their  tents  with  them,  as  described  in  my 
Journal.  \Vhen  they  are  in  their  tents  they 
sit  or  lie  down  on  buffaloe  or  bear  skins, 
which  constitute,  also,  their  beds ;  and  when 
in  bed,  they  cover  themselves  TNith  a  buffaloe 
skin,  dressed  with  the  hair  on,  or  with  a 
blanket.  But  many  of  the  Carriers,  have 
nothing  to  lie  on,  excepting  the  branches 
of  the  spruce  fir  tree,  with  little  or  nothing 
with  which  to  cover  themselves ;  and  their 
huts  constitute  but  a  poor  shelter.  To 
keep  themselves  from  freezing,  in  cold  winter 
nights,  therefore,  they  are  under  the  necessity 
of  keeping  up  a  constant  fire,  to  which  they 
are  compelled  to  turn  their  sides,  alternately; 


278  ACCOUNT  OF  THE  INDIANS. 

and  they  are,  at  such  times,  able  to  procure 
but  little  sleep.  Indeed,  almost  any  other 
people,  in  the  same  condition,  would  freeze 
to  death.  But  as  they  have  always  been 
accustomed  to  such  a  mode  of  living,  they 
seem  not  at  all  aware  of  the  misery  of  their 
condition. 

The  Sauteux,  Muscagoes,  many  of  the 
Chipewyans  and  some  of  the  Crees,  in  short 
all  the  Indians  who  live  about  large  lakes, 
subsist  principally  on  fish,  which  they  take 
with  hooks  and  lines,  or  in  nets.  Their 
hooks  they  frequently  obtain  from  us;  and 
when  this  is  impracticable,  they  make  them, 
by  inserting  a  piece  of  bone  obliquely  into 
a  piece  of  wood,  and  reducing  the  upper 
end  of  the  bone  to  a  point.  Their  lines  are 
either  single  thongs  of  leather,  tied  together, 
or  they  are  braided  of  the  bark  of  the  willow. 
The  Assiniboins,  Rapid  Indians,  Black  feet 
Indians  and  those  Crees  who  remain  in  the 
strong  thick  woods,  or  on  the  large  plains, 
live  upon  the  flesh  of  the  buffaloe,  moose, 
red  deer,  antelope,  bear,  &c.  which  they 
either  boil  or  roast.  Those  of  them  who 
can  obtain  brass  or  copper  or  tin  kettles 
from  us,  use  them  for  boiling  their  food; 
and  hang  them  over  the  fire.  Those  who 
cannot  obtain  such  kettles,  use  those  which 
are  made  of  bark.  Although  water  might 
be  made  to  boil  in  these  bark  kettles  over 
the  fire,  yet  they  would  not  be  durable; 
and  therefore,  this  operation  is  more  com- 


ACCOUNT  OF  THE  INDIANS.  279 

monly  performed,  by  throwing  into  them, 
heated  stones.  Those  Indians,  however, 
who  have  only  bark  kettles,  generally  roast 
their  meat.  This  they  do,  by  fixing  one  end 
of  a  stick,  that  is  sharpened  at  both  ends, 
into  the  ground,  at  a  little  distance  from 
the  fire,  with  its  top,  on  which  the  meat 
is  fixed,  inclining  towards  the  fire.  On  this 
stick,  the  meat  is  occasionally  turned,  when 
one  part  becomes  sufficiently  roasted. 

The  Indians,  in  general,  like  to  have  their 
food,  whether  boiled  or  roasted,  thoroughly 
done;  but  those  who  inhabit  the  plains, 
frequently  make  their  meals  without  the 
aid  of  fire,  of  particular  parts  of  the  entrails 
of  the  buffaloe,  which  I  have,  also,  eaten 
raw,  and  have  found  to  be  very  palatable. 
When  there  is  no  water  to  be  found,  they 
at  times  kill  a  buffaloe,  and  drink  his  blood, 
or  the  water  which  they  find  in  his  paunch. 
The  paunch  of  a  male  buffaloe,  when  well 
cooked,  is  very  delicious  food.  The  Natives 
scarcely  ever  wash  it ;  but  boil  it  with  much 
of  its  dung,  adhering  to  it;  and  even  then, 
the  broth  has  an  excellent  taste,  to  those 
who  can  forget,  or  from  habit  pay  no  regard 
to  the  filth,  which  settles,  to  the  thickness 
of  two  fingers,  at  the  bottom  of  the  kettle. 
Many  consider  a  broth,  made  by  means  of 
the  dung  of  the  cariboo  and  the  hare  to  be 
a  dainty  dish. 

The  Chipewyans  can  never  patiently  see  a 
fish  without  gouging  out  its  eyes,  and  eating 


280  ACCOUNT  OF  THE  INDIANS. 

them  in  a  raw  state;  and  they  say,  that 
they  are  delicious.  They,  also,  often  make 
their  meals  upon  raw  fish  or  meat,  that  is 
frozen;  and  appear  to  relish  it  fully  as  well, 
as  when  cooked. — The  Carriers,  when  they 
take  fish  that  have  roes  in  them,  squeeze 
them,  with  their  thumb  and  finger,  through 
their  natural  outlet,  into  their  mouths, 
and  swallow  them  down,  with  avidity.  They 
also  bury  in  the  earth  large  boxes,  filled 
with  the  roes  of  salmon,  where  they  are 
suffered  to  remain,  until  they  are  a  little 
putrifled,  when  they  take  them  out,  and 
eat  them,  either  cooked  or  raw;  and  they 
appear  to  relish  them  well,  though  they 
fill  the  air  with  a  terrible  stench,  for  a  con- 
siderable distance  round.  A  person  who  eats 
this  food,  and  rubs  salmon  oil  on  his  hands, 
can  be  smelt  in  warm  weather,  to  the  dis- 
tance of  nearly  a  quarter  of  a  mile. 

The  natives  in  a  part  of  the  country 
called  Nipigon,  as  well  as  in  some  other 
parts  of  the  country,  are  frequently  obliged, 
by  necessity,  to  subsist  on  a  kind  of  moss, 
which  they  find  adhering  to  the  rocks,  and 
which  they  denominate  As-se-ne  Wa-quon-uck, 
that  is,  eggs  of  the  rock.  This  moss  when 
boiled  with  pimican,  &c.  dissolves  into  a 
glutinous  substance,  and  is  very  palatable; 
but  when  cooked  in  water  only,  it  is  far 
otherwise,  as  it  then  has  an  unpleasant, 
bitter  taste.  There  is  some  nourishment 
in  it;  and  it  has  saved  the  life  of  many  of 


ACCOUNT  OF  THE  INDIANS.  281 

the  Indians,  as  well  as  of  some  of  our  voy- 
agers. 

On  the  Columbia  River,  there  is  a  people 
who  subsist,  during  the  greater  part  of  the 
summer,  on  nothing  but  roots,  and  a  kind 
of  bread,  if  it  may  be  so  called,  made  of  the 
mossy  stuff,  which  grows  on  the  spruce  fir 
tree,  and  which  resembles  the  cobwebs,  spun 
by  spiders.  This  substance  contains  a  little 
nourishment.  They  gather  it  from  the  trees, 
and  lay  it  in  a  heap,  on  which  they  sprinkle 
a  little  water,  and  then  leave  it,  for  some 
time,  to  ferment.  After  that,  they  roll  it 
up  into  balls,  as  large  as  a  man's  head, 
and  bake  them  in  ovens,  well  heated,  which 
are  constructed  in  the  earth.  After  having 
been  baked  about  an  hour,  they  are  taken 
out  for  use.  This  substance  is  not  very 
palatable ;  and  it  contains  but  little  nourish- 
ment. It  will,  however,  barely  support  life, 
for  a  considerable  time. 

The  Indians  frequently  eat  the  flesh  of 
the  dog;  and  our  Canadian  voyagers  are 
as  fond  of  it,  as  of  any  other  meat.  I  have 
frequently  eaten  of  them  myself;  and  have 
found  them  as  palatable  as  a  young  pig, 
and  much  of  the  same  flavour.  These  dogs 
are  small ;  and  in  shape,  very  much  resemble 
the  wolf.  The  large  dogs  are  of  a  different 
breed,  and  their  flesh  always  has  a  rank 
taste;  but  this  is  never  the  case  with  the 
small  kind. 

Perhaps    I   cannot    more   properly,    than 


282         ACCOUxNT  OF  THE  INDIANS. 

in  this  connexion,  state,  that  all  the  Indians, 
when  they  look  in  each  other's  heads,  and 
find  lice,  of  which  they  have  a  plenty,  both 
there  and  on  their  bodies,  crush  them  be- 
tween their  teeth,  and  frequently  svrallow 
them.  The  reason  which  they  give  for  this 
nauseous  custom  is,  that,  as  the  lice  have 
first  bitten  them,  they  are  only  retaliating 
the  injury  upon  them. 

As  the  Indians  use  no  salt  in  the  pres- 
ervation of  their  meat,  the  lean  part  is 
cut  into  thin  slices,  and  hung  up  in  their 
tents,  and  dried  in  the  smoke,  and  the  fat 
is  melted  down;  and  in  this  situation,  it 
will  keep  for  years.  They  make  marrow 
fat,  by  cutting  the  joints  of  the  bones,  which 
they  boil  for  a  considerable  time,  and  then 
skim  off  the  top,  which  is  excellent  to  eat 
with  their  dried  meat.  They  find  a  root  in 
the  plains,  that  is  nearly  a  foot  long,  and 
two  or  three  inches  in  circumference,  which 
is  shaped  like  a  carrot,  and  tastes  like  a 
turnip,  which  they  pound  fine,  and  then 
dry  it  in  the  sun.  This,  when  boiled  in  fat 
broth,  is  one  of  their  most  dainty  dishes, 
at  their  feasts.  The  ordinary  drink  of  the 
Indians  is  the  broth  of  flesh  or  fish,  or  only 
water. 

The  Indians  on  the  east  side  of  the  Rocky 
Mountain,  pound  choke  cherries  fine,  and 
dry  them  in  the  sun,  which  are  palatable, 
either  eaten  alone,  or  boiled  in  broth.  They 
have  also  a  small  berry,  about  the  size  of 


ACCOUNT  OF  THE  INDIANS.         283 

a  common  currant,  shaped  like  an  egg,  which 
I  have  called,  in  my  Journal,  shad  berries, 
as  I  have  heard  them  so  denominated  in  New 
England,  which  they  dry  in  the  sun,  and 
either  boil  them  in  broth,  or  mix  them  with 
pounded  meat  and  fat,  in  making  pimican. 
But  the  Carriers  prepare  these  berries  in  a 
different  manner,  in  order  to  preserve  them. 
They  make  a  kind  of  tub,  which  will  con- 
tain twenty  or  thirty  gallons,  of  the  bark 
of  the  spruce  fir  tree.  Into  the  bottom  of 
this  tub  they  put  about  a  peck  of  these 
berries,  and  upon  the  top  of  them  stones, 
that  are  nearly  red  hot;  they  then  put  an- 
other layer  of  berries,  and  upon  these,  a 
layer  of  stones,  and  so  on  until  the  tub  is 
full.  They  then  cover  it  up,  and  let  it  re- 
main in  that  situation  for  about  five  or 
six  hours,  when  they  will  have  become  per- 
fectly cooked.  They  are  then  taken  out, 
and  crushed  between  the  hands,  and  spread 
on  splinters  of  wood,  tied  together  for  the 
purpose,  over  a  slow  fire;  and,  while  they 
are  drying,  the  juice  which  ran  out  while 
they  were  cooking  in  the  tub,  is  rubbed 
over  them.  After  two  or  three  days  drying, 
they  will  be  in  a  condition  to  be  kept  for 
several  years.  They  are  very  palatable, 
especially  when  a  few  whortleberries  are 
mixed  with  them.  The  above  described 
method  of  cooking  berries,  is  far  better  than 
doing  them  in  brass  or  copper  kettles,  as  I 
have  proved  by  repeated  experiment. 


284         ACCOUNT  OF  THE  INDIANS. 

The  Carriers  cut  off  the  heads  of  salmon, 
and  throw  them  into  the  lake,  where  they 
permit  them  to  remain  a  month,  or  at  least 
until  they  become  putrified.  They  then  take 
them  out,  and  put  them  into  a  trough,  made 
of  bark,  filled  with  water.  Into  this  trough 
they  put  a  sufficiency  of  heated  stones,  to 
make  the  water  boil  for  a  time,  which  will 
cause  the  oil  to  come  out  of  the  heads  of 
the  salmon,  and  rise  to  the  top  of  the  water. 
This  they  skim  off,  and  put  into  bottles 
made  of  salmon  skins;  and  they  eat  it  with 
their  berries.  Its  smell  however  is  very  dis- 
agreeable; and  no  people  would  think  ol 
eating  it  excepting  the  Carriers. 

The  Indians  are  not  regular  in  their  meals ; 
and  they  will  eat  a  little,  half  a  dozen  times 
in  a  day,  if  they  have  food  at  hand.  But 
they  are  not  great  eaters;  and  they  often 
subsist  for  a  great  length  of  time,  upon  a 
very  little  food.  When  they  choose,  how- 
ever, and  in  a  particular  manner,  sometimes 
at  feasts,  they  will  gorge  down  an  incredible 
quantity.  They  do  not  drink  largely,  ex- 
cepting the  Carriers,  who  live  upon  dry  fish. 
They  will  sometimes  swallow,  at  one  draught, 
three  pints,  or  two  quarts.  When  they  can 
procure  food  that  is  palatable,  they  v>ill 
eat  in  the  same  proportion.  No  favour 
which  can  be  bestowed  upon  them  is  so  grate- 
fully received,  as  the  means  of  making  a 
good  meal. 

From  the  month  of  June,  until  the  latter 


ACCOUNT  OF  THE  INDIANS.  285 

end  of  September,  all  animals  have  but  little 
fur ;  and  therefore,  at  this  season,  the  Indians 
do  not  hunt  them  much.  The  greater  part 
of  the  Indians,  on  the  east  side  of  the  Eocky 
Mountain,  now  take  the  beaver  in  steel  traps, 
which  we  sell  them;  frequently  they  shoot 
them,  with  fire  arms;  and  sometimes  they 
make  holes  through  their  lodges  or  huts, 
and  then  spear  them.  Otters  they  take  in 
the  same  manner  as  beavers.  The  lynx  or 
cat,  they  take  in  snares.  Foxes,  fishers, 
martins,  minks,  &c.  they  take  in  a  spring 
trap. — The  large  animals  are  hunted  chiefly 
for  their  flesh;  and  are  therefore  killed, 
principally  when  they  are  the  fattest,  which 
most  of  them  are  in  the  fall,  and  some  of 
them  in  the  winter.  Buffaloes,  moose,  red 
deers,  bears,  &c.  are  generally  killed  with  fire 
arms.  The  Indians,  however,  in  the  plains, 
have  other  methods  of  killing  the  buffaloe. 

Sometimes  the  young  men  mount  their 
horses,  and  pursue  them  and  bring  them 
down  with  their  bows  and  arrows,  which 
they  find  more  convenient  for  this  purpose 
than  fire  arms,  as  they  can  more  easily 
take  an  arrow  from  the  quiver,  than  load 
a  musket,  in  such  a  situation.  The  following, 
is  another  method  of  taking  the  buffaloe. 
The  Natives  look  out  for  a  small  grove  of 
trees,  surrounded  by  a  plain.  In  this  gTOve 
they  make  a  yard,  by  falling  small  trees, 
and  interweaving  them  with  brush ;  and  they 
leave  an  opening  into  it  about  twenty  feet 


286  ACCOUNT  OF  THE  INDIANS. 

broad.  They  select,  for  this  purpose,  a  rising 
piece  of  ground,  that  the  yard  may  not  be 
seen  at  a  distance.  From  each  side  of  this 
opening,  they  fix  two  ranges  of  stakes,  at 
about  an  angle  of  ninety  degrees  from  each 
other,  extending  about  two  miles  into  the 
plains.  These  stakes  rise  about  four  feet 
above  the  ground,  and  are  about  forty  feet 
apart.  On  the  top  of  each  stake,  they  put 
buff  aloe  dung,  or  tie  a  wisp  of  hay.  After 
this  preparation,  when  a  herd  of  buffaloes  is 
seen  at  no  great  distance  off,  thirty  or  forty 
or  more  young  men  mount  their  racers, 
which  are  well  trained  to  this  business,  and 
surround  them;  and  little  difficulty  is  found 
in  bringing  them,  within  the  range  of  the 
stakes.  Indians  are  stationed  by  the  side 
of  some  of  these  stakes,  to  keep  them  in 
motion,  so  that  the  buffaloes  suppose  them 
all  to  be  human  beings.  The  horsemen  press 
forward  by  the  sides  of  the  herd  and  behind 
them,  until,  at  length,  with  their  tongues 
lolling  from  their  mouths,  they  are  brought 
to  the  entrance  of  the  yard ;  and  through 
it  they  rush  without  perceiving  their  danger, 
until  they  are  shut  in,  to  the  number,  often- 
times, of  two  or  three  hundred.  WTien  they 
find  themselves  enclosed,  the  Indians  say, 
and  I  have  frequently  seen  myself,  that  they 
begin  to  walk  around  the  outside  of  the 
yard,  in  the  direction  of  the  apparent  rev- 
olution of  the  sun,  from  east  to  west.  Be- 
fore any  of  them  are  killed,  the  Indians  go 


ACCOUNT  OF  THE  INDIANS.  287 

into  the  tent  of  the  chief  to  smoke,  which 
they  denominate  making  the  buffaloe  smoke. 
They  then  go  out  to  the  yard,  and  kill  the 
buffaloes  with  bows  and  arrows;  and  there 
are  Indians,  who  will  send  an  arrow,  entirely 
through  one  buffaloe,  and  kill,  at  the  same 
time,  a  second.  "VSTien  the  buffaloes  are  all 
killed  and  cut  up,  the  tongues  of  all  of  them 
are  taken  to  the  tent  of  the  chief;  and  with 
a  part  of  them  he  makes  a  feast,  and  the 
remainder  he  allows  his  neighbours  to  keep. 
The  meat  and  skins  are  then  distributed 
among  the  people  of  the  whole  camp;  and 
whether  equally  or  not,  no  one  will  complain. 
Should  any  be  displeased  with  their  share, 
they  will  decamp,  and  go  and  join  another 
party. 

The  Natives  generally  cut  up  the  body  of 
an  animal  into  eleven  pieces,  to  prepare  it 
for  transportation  to  their  tents,  or  to  our 
forts.  These  pieces  are  the  four  limbs,  the 
two  sides  of  ribs,  the  two  sinews  on  each 
Bide  of  the  back  bone,  the  brisket,  the  croup, 
and  the  back  bone.  Besides  these,  they  save 
and  use  the  tongue,  heart,  liver,  paunch, 
and  some  part  of  the  entrails.  The  head, 
they  carry  home,  the  meat  which  is  on  it 
they  eat;  and  the  brains  they  rub  over  the 
skin,  in  dressing  it.— After  they  have  taken 
all  the  meat  off  from  the  skin,  they  stretch 
it  on  a  frame,  and  suffer  it  to  drj'.  They 
next  scrape  oS  all  the  hair,  and  rub  the 
brains    of   the   animal   over   the   skin,    and 


288  ACCOUNT  OF  THE  INDIANS. 

then  smoke  it;  after  which  they  soak  it  in 
water,  for  about  a  day.  They  then  take  it 
out  and  wring  it  as  dry  as  possible;  and  a 
woman  takes  hold  of  each  end,  and  they 
hold  it  over  a  fire,  frequently  pulling  it  and 
changing  its  sides,  until  it  is  perfectly  dry. 
After  this  it  is  smoked  with  rotten  wood, 
and  it  becomes  fit  for  use.  This  last  part 
of  the  process,  is  to  prevent  it  from  becom- 
ing hard  after  it  has  been  wet. 

The  Sauteux,  who  remain  about  the  Lake 
of  the  Woods,  now  begin  to  plant  Indian 
corn  and  potatoes,  which  grow  well.  The 
Mandans,  also,  along  the  Missouri  River, 
cultivate  the  soil,  and  produce  Indian  corn, 
beans,  pumpkins,  tobacco,  &c.  As  they  do 
not  understand  curing  their  tobacco,  it  is  of 
little  use  to  them.  The  Sauteux,  who  live 
back  from  Mackana,  raise  large  quantities  of 
Indian  corn,  beans,  &c.  And  also  make 
much  sugar,  from  the  maple  tree,  which  they 
dispose  of  to  the  North  West  Company,  for 
cloth  and  other  articles.  As  soon  as  the 
animals  become  scarce,  that  are  hunted  for 
their  furs,  the  Natives  must  till  the  ground 
for  subsistence,  or  live  upon  fish.  This  state 
of  things  already  exists,  in  many  places; 
and  must,  in  all  probability,  be  extended. 

The  Indians  sometimes  take  the  largest 
fish,  such  as  sturgeon,  trout,  and  some 
white  fish,  with  spears.  At  other  times,  they 
take  their  fish  in  drag-nets  or  scoop-nets. 
But  the  more  general  way  of  taking  them 


ACCOUNT  OF  THE  INDIANS.  289 

is  the  following.  They  have  nets,  of  from 
twenty  to  sixty  fathoms,  in  length,  which 
contain  from  twelve  to  forty  meshes,  of  from 
two  to  seven  inches  in  depth.  Upon  lines, 
which  are  fixed  upon  each  side  of  the  net, 
for  the  purpose  of  strengthening  it,  they 
fasten,  opposite  to  each  other,  a  small  stone 
and  a  wooden  buoy,  once  in  about  the  dis- 
tance of  two  fathoms.  The  net  is  carefully 
thro\\'n  into  the  water,  and  by  means  of  the 
stones  on  the  one  side,  and  the  buoys  on  the 
other,  it  becomes  extended,  to  its  full  breadth. 
The  ends  of  the  net,  which  forms  a  semicircle, 
are  secured  by  stones ;  and  it  is  visited  every 
day,  and  taken  out  of  the  water  every  second 
day,  to  be  cleaned  and  dried.  This  is  a 
very  easy  operation,  when  the  water  is  not 
frozen.  But  the  ice  which,  at  some  places, 
acquires  the  thickness  of  five  feet,  renders 
the  setting  and  taking  out  of  the  nets,  a 
work  of  gTeater  difficulty.  They  then  cut 
holes,  at  the  distance  of  thirty  feet  from 
each  other,  to  the  whole  length  of  the  net, 
one  of  which,  is  larger  than  the  rest,  being 
generally  about  four  feet  square,  and  is  called 
the  basin.  Through  these  holes,  by  means 
of  poles  of  a  suitable  length,  the  net  is  placed 
in  and  drawn  out  of  the  water. 

The  Indians,  throughout  the  whole  country 
that  I  have  visited,  have  no  other  animals 
domesticated,  excepting  the  horse  and  the 
dog.  Of  the  latter,  they  have  several  dif- 
ferent species.    Some  of  them  are  very  large 

19 


290  ACCOUNT  OF  THE  INDIANS. 

and  strong,  and  are  employed  in  carrying 
burdens ;  while  others,  which  are  small,  assist 
their  masters  in  the  chace.— All  Indians  are 
very  fond  of  their  hunting  dogs.  The  people 
on  the  west  side  of  the  Eocky  Mountain, 
appear  to  have  the  same  affection  for  them, 
that  they  have  for  their  children;  and  they 
will  discourse  with  them,  as  if  they  were 
rational  beings.  They  frequently  call  them 
their  sons  or  daughters ;  and  when  describing 
an  Indian,  they  v.ill  speak  of  him  as  father 
of  a  particular  dog  v,l:ich  belongs  to  him. 
When  these  dogs  die,  it  is  not  unusual  to 
see  their  masters  or  mistresses  place  them 
on  a  pile  of  wood,  and  bum  them  in  the 
same  manner  as  they  do  the  dead  bodies 
of  their  relations ;  and  thej^  appear  to  lament 
their  deaths,  by  crjing  and  howling,  fully 
as  much  as  if  they  were  their  kindred.  Not- 
withstanding this  affection,  however,  when 
they  have  nothing  else  with  which  to  pur- 
chase articles  which  they  want,  they  will 
sell  their  dogs. 

Those  Indians,  who  live  in  a  woody  country, 
make  no  use  of  horses,  but  employ  their  large 
dogs,  to  assist  in  carrying  their  baggage 
from  place  to  place.  The  load  is  placed 
near  their  shoulders,  and  some  of  these  dogs, 
which  are  accustomed  to  it,  will  carry  sixty 
or  seventy  pounds  weight,  the  distance  of 
twenty  five  or  thirty  miles  in  a  day. 

The  Assiniboins,  Rapid  Indians,  Black  feet 
and    Mandans,  together  with  all  the  other 


ACCOUNT  OF  THE  INDIANS.  291 

Indians  who  inhabit  a  plain  country,  always 
perform  their  journies  on  horse  back.  Indeed 
they  seldom  go  even  a  short  distance  from 
their  tents,  in  any  other  manner.  They 
have  some  excellent  horses,  which  will  carry 
thena  a  great  distance  in  a  day.  They  some- 
times go  seventy  miles,  in  twelve  hours; 
but  forty  or  forty  five  miles  is  a  common 
day's  ride.  They  do  not  often  use  bridles, 
but  guide  their  horses  with  halters,  made 
of  ropes,  which  are  manufactured  from  the 
hair  of  the  buffaloe,  which  are  very  strong 
and  durable.  On  the  back  of  the  horse, 
they  put  a  dressed  buffaloe  skin,  on  the  top 
of  which,  they  place  a  pad,  from  which  are 
suspended  stirrups,  made  of  wood,  and  cov- 
ered with  the  skin  of  the  testicles  of  the 
buffaloe.  « 

Some  of  these  Indians  have  forty  or  fifty 
horses;  and  they  attach  a  great  value  to 
those,  that  are  distinguished  for  their  speed. 
Whenever  an  Assiniboin  sells  a  racer,  he  sepa- 
rates from  him,  in  a  most  affectionate  manner. 
Immediately  before  delivering  him  to  the  pur- 
chaser, he  steps  up  to  the  favourite  animal, 
and  whispers  in  his  ear,  telling  him  not  to 
be  cast  down  or  angry  with  his  master  for 
disposing  of  him  to  another,  for,  he  adds, 
"you  shall  not  remain  long  where  you  are. 
I  sold  you  to  obtain  certpJn  articles,  that  I 
stood  in  great  need  of;  but  before  many 
nights  have  passed,  I  will  come  and  steal 
you  away."    And,  unless  great  vigilance  on 


292         ACCOUNT  OF  THE  INDIANS. 

the  part  of  the  purchaser  prevent,  he  gener- 
ally fulfils  his  promise ;  for  they  are  the  great- 
est horse  thieves,  perhaps  upon  the  face  of 
the  earth.  As  there  never  falls  much  snow 
on  the  large  plains,  the  horses  have  not  much 
difficulty  in  finding  a  sufficiency  of  grass,  on 
which  to  subsist,  during  the  whole  year ;  and 
they  are  generally  in  good  order. 

The  Indians  who  reside  about  large  lakes 
and  rivers,  voyage  about  in  the  summer 
season,  in  canoes,  made  of  the  bark  of  the 
birch  or  spruce  fir  tree;  and  two  persons  in 
one  of  them,  will  easilj^  go  fifty  miles  in  a 
day.  The  paddles,  with  which  the  canoe  is 
moved,  are  about  five  feet  long,  half  of  which 
length,  is  a  blade,  four  inches  wide. 

The  Indians  are  good  walkers;  and  will 
at  sometimes,  travel  forty  miles  in  a  day, 
with  a  pretty  heavy  load  upon  their  backs. 

In  the  winter  season,  the  Indians  use  snow 
shoes;  and  it  would  be  impossible  to  travel 
without  them.  They  are  constructed  in  sev- 
eral different  shapes ;  but  the  following  is  the 
most  common  form.  They  take  a  piece  of 
wood,  and  with  a  crooked  knife,  work  it 
down,  until  it  is  about  two  inches  wide,  and 
an  inch  thick.  These  sticks  are  fastened  to- 
gether at  one  end,  which  constitutes  the  hind 
part ;  they  are  then  bent  so  as  to  be  about 
a  foot  asunder  in  the  middle,  and  to  come 
nearly  together  forward.  The  space  between 
these  sticks,  they  fill  up  with  a  lace  work  of 
thongs  of  deer  skin.    Other  snow  shoes  come 


ACCOUNT  OF  THE  INDIANS.         293 

quite  to  a  point  before,  where  they  are  turned 
up;  the  side  pieces  are  from  eighteen  to 
twenty  four  inches  apart,  and,  in  the  fall  of 
the  year,  when  the  snow  is  light,  they  are 
seven  feet  in  length.  The  inner  side  piece  is 
nearly  straight,  and  the  outside  is  arching, 
and  the  extremities  behind,  come  together  in 
a  point.  The  space  between  them,  is  worked 
as  above  mentioned.  It  is  a  little  surpris- 
ing that  the  Indians,  who  are  accustomed  to 
them,  will  walk  farther  in  a  day  on  good 
snow  shoes,  than  they  could  do  on  bare 
ground.  But  it  is  ver}^  fatiguing  for  those  to 
walk  on  them,  who  are  not  accustomed  to  do 
it.  The  Indians  are  trained  to  this  exercise 
from  the  age  of  four  years.  Even  at  that 
early  age,  they  will  go  five  or  six  miles  in  a 
day  upon  them,  through  the  whole  winter, 
as  often  as  the  Indians  decamp,  which,  at 
sometimes,  is  every  day,  and  at  other  times, 
once  in  eight  or  ten  days.  Indians,  who 
live  upon  the  chace,  in  a  country  where  ani- 
mals are  scarce,  cannot  remain  long  in  a 
place;  and  those  who  hunt  the  beaver  and 
some  other  animals,  must  continually  shift 
their  residence. 

Few  of  the  Indians  live  in  a  state  of  celib- 
acy. They  generally  marry  when  they  are 
between  eighteen  and  twenty  five  years  of  age. 
Polygamy  is  allov/ed  among  all  the  tribes; 
but  only  a  few  persons  among  them,  have 
more  than  one  wife,  each.  I  knew,  how- 
ever,   a   chief,  among   the   Beaver   Indians, 


294         ACCOUNT  OF  THE  INDIANS. 

who  had  eleven  wives,  and  more  than  forty 
children. 

Their  courtship  and  marriage  are  con- 
ducted in  the  following  manner.  A  young 
man  who  is  desirous  of  taking  a  wife,  looks 
around  among  the  young  women  of  his  ac- 
quaintance, to  find  one  that  pleases  his  fancy. 
Having  thus  singled  out  one,  to  her  he  makes 
knowTi  his  intentions ;  and  if  his  addresses  are 
favourably  received,  he  visits  her,  in  the  night 
season,  by  crawling  softly  into  the  tent  where 
she  lodges,  and  where  she  is  expecting  him, 
after  the  other  inhabitants  of  the  lodge  are 
asleep.  Here  they  pass  the  night,  by  con- 
versing in  a  whisper,  lest  they  should  be 
heard  by  the  rest  of  the  family,  who  all  oc- 
cupy the  same  apartment.  As  the  morning 
light  approaches,  he  withdraws  in  the  same 
silent  manner,  in  which  he  came.  These 
nocturnal  visits  are  kept  up  for  several 
months;  or,  until  the  young  couple  think 
that  they  should  be  happy,  in  passing  their 
days  together.  The  girl  then  proposes  the 
subject  to  her  mother,  and  she  converses  with 
the  father  in  regard  to  the  intended  match. 
If  he  give  his  consent,  and  the  mother 
agree  with  him  in  opinion,  she  will  direct  her 
daughter  to  invite  her  suitor  to  come  and 
remain  with  them.  It  is  now  only,  that  they 
cohabit ;  and  whatever  the  young  man  kills, 
he  brings  home  and  presents  it  to  the  father 
of  his  wife.  In  this  way  he  lives,  during  a 
year  or  more,  without  having  any  property 


ACCOUNT  OF  THE  INDIANS.         295 

that  he  can  call  his  own.  After  his  wife  has 
a  child,  she  calls  her  husband  by  no  other 
name  but  the  father  of  her  son  or  daughter. 
And  now  he  is  at  liberty  to  leave  the  tent 
of  his  wife's  father,  if  he  pleases.  All  the 
Indians  on  the  east  side  of  the  rocky  moun- 
tain, think  it  very  indecent  for  a  father  or 
mother  in  law,  to  speak  to,  or  look  in  the 
face  of  a  son  or  daughter  in  law;  and  they 
never  do  either  unless  they  are  very  much 
intoxicated.  The  reason  which  they  give  for 
this  custom,  when  questioned  on  the  subject 
is,  the  peculiar  intercourse  which  this  person 
has  had  with  their  child. 

When  two  3'oung  persons  of  different  sexes, 
have  an  affection  for  each  other,  and  wish 
to  be  connected  in  marriage,  to  which  the 
father  of  the  girl  will  not  consent,  they  fre- 
quently leave  the  tents  of  their  parents,  and 
go  and  join  some  distant  band  of  Indians, 
They  are,  however,  often  pursued,  by  the 
father  of  the  young  woman ;  and  should  he 
overtake  them,  he  will  bring  his  daughter 
back,  and  keep  a  strict  watch  over  her  con- 
duct, to  prevent  all  intercourse  between  her 
and  her  suitor.  All  neighbouring  tribes  fre- 
quently intermarry. 

Chastity  in  young  women,  is  considered  as 
a  virtue,  by  the  Indians,  generally,  on  the 
east  side  of  the  Rocky  Mountain ;  and  many 
mothers,  among  some  tribes  are  so  particu- 
lar, that  they  never  allow  their  daughters, 
who  have  arrived  at  a  certain  age,  to  go 


296  ACCOUiNT  OF  THE  INDIANS. 

from  home  alone,  but  always  send  some  per- 
son with  them,  as  a  protector.  Chastity 
in  married  persons  is  universally  regarded  as 
a  virtue;  and  the  want  of  it  in  a  woman, 
is  frequently  the  cause  of  her  being  rejected 
by  her  husband.  A  separation,  also,  at  some 
times,  takes  place,  on  account  of  the  slothful- 
ness  of  the  woman.  When  such  an  event 
does  occur,  all  the  children,  if  small,  remain 
with  their  mother,  but  should  they  have  sons, 
advanced  beyond  the  period  of  childhood, 
they  remain  with  their  father.  Their  sepa- 
rations, however,  are  seldom  lasting;  and 
after  a  few  days  absence,  the  parties  gener- 
ally have  an  inclination  to  return  to  each 
other.  These  separations  commonly  take 
place  in  obedience  to  the  will  of  the  husband, 
only  because,  possessing  greater  physical 
strength,  he  has  more  power  to  drive  his 
wife  from  him,  or  to  retain  her  with  him, 
against  her  choice,  than  she  has  to  treat 
him  in  a  similar  manner. 

The  Indian  women  sit  down  in  a  decent 
attitude,  placing  their  knees  close  to  each 
other.  They  are  very  particular,  also,  in 
regard  to  their  behaviour,  during  their  peri- 
odical illness.  They  then  leave  the  tents 
where  their  families  reside,  and  go  and  put 
up  temporary  ones,  at  a  little  distance  from 
them,  where  they  remain  during  the  continu- 
ance of  their  illness.  ^Tiile  they  are  there, 
the  men  will  not  deign  to  hold  any  con- 
versation   with   them ;    nor   will  thev  suffer 


ACCOUNT  OF  THE  INDIANS.  297 

them  to  make  use  of  any  article,  which  they 
expect  to  want  the  use  of  afterwards.  Thia 
custom  prevails  among  all  the  tribes,  with, 
whom  I  have  been  acquainted.  The  first 
time  that  the  young  women,  among  the 
Sauteux,  Crees  and  some  other  tribes,  experi- 
ence this  illness,  they  run  into  the  woods, 
and  remain  there  for  several  days.  They 
then  return  to  their  tents,  and  immediately 
proceed  to  cut  and  pile  up  a  cord  of  wood, 
as  high  as  their  heads;  after  which  all  the 
women  of  the  camp  come  and  scramble  for 
it,  and  carry  it  away,  saying,  that  the  per- 
son who  cut  the  wood,  is  now  a  woman  like 
themselves,  and  that  they  hope  she  will  prove 
to  be  industrious. 

The  men  among  the  Indians,  are  very  sub- 
ject to  be  jealous  of  their  wives.  In  their  fits 
of  jealousy,  they  often  cut  off  all  the  hair 
from  the  heads  of  their  wives,  and,  not  un- 
frequently,  cut  off  their  noses,  also;  and 
should  they  not  in  the  moment  of  passion 
have  a  knife  at  hand,  they  will  snap  it  off 
at  one  bite,  with  their  teeth.  But  such  a 
circumstance  does  not  ordinarily  produce  a 
separation  between  them.  The  man  is  satis- 
fied in  thus  revenging  a  supposed  injury; 
and  having  destroyed  the  beauty  of  his  wife, 
he  concludes  that  he  has  secured  her  against 
all  future  solicitations  to  offend. 

All  the  Indians  consider  women  as  far  in- 
feriour  in  every  respect,  to  men ;  and,  among 
many  tribes,  they  treat  their  wives  much  as 


398  ACCOUNT  OF  THE  INDIANS. 

they  do  their  dogs.  The  men  chastise  their 
wives,  frequently,  with  an  axe,  or  vdth.  a 
large  club;  and  in  the  presence  of  their  hus- 
bands, the  women  dare  not  look  a  person  in 
the  face.  When  they  decamp,  the  women 
transport  the  baggage ;  and  when  they  stop, 
■while  the  men  are  quietly  smoking  their 
pipes,  the  women  are  required  to  pitch  the 
tents,  and  to  set  the  encampment  in  order. 
Among  the  Sauteux,  Crees,  Muscagoes  and 
Assiniboins,  however,  the  women  are  treated 
with  more  gentleness  and  respect.  The  hus- 
band shares  the  labour  with  his  wife;  and 
the  women  govern  every  thing  in  their  tents, 
so  that  the  husband  presumes  not  to  dispose 
of  the  most  trifling  article,  without  the  con- 
sent of  his  wife.  Among  them  the  husband 
kills  animals  and  generally  brings  the  meat 
to  his  tent,  where  his  wife  prepares  it  for 
drying,  and  melts  down  the  fat.  She,  also 
generally  does  the  cooking;  not,  however, 
without  the  occasional  assistance  of  her  hus- 
band. He  assists  her,  likewise,  in  taking 
care  of  the  children;  and,  if  his  wife  is  too 
much  loaded,  in  marching  from  one  place  of 
encampment  to  another,  he  will  take  one  of 
the  small  children  in  addition  to  the  load 
already  on  his  own  back.  But  the  Indians, 
who  inhabit  the  plains,  never  carry  any 
thing  on  their  backs,  as  they  are  well  sup- 
plied with  horses. 

The  following  ceremonies  attend  the  birth 
of  children.    'VMien  the  time  of  a  woman  ap- 


ACCOUNT  OF  THE  INDIANS.  299 

preaches,  she  erects  a  small  hut,  at  a  little 
distance  from  the  tent  in  which  she  usually 
lives;  and  at  the  time  of  labour,  she  sends 
an  invitation  to  several  neighbouring  women, 
to  come  to  her  assistance.  As  soon  as  the 
child  is  born,  it  is  washed  in  water,  that 
had  been  previously  prepared,  by  boiling  in 
it  a  sweet  scented  root.  The  mother  then 
orders  a  feast  to  be  prepared.  As  soon  as 
it  is  ready,  the  most  aged  woman  of  the 
company,  takes  a  little  out  of  the  dish,  and 
throws  it  into  the  fire,  and  then  helps  the- 
whole  company;  not  passing  by  the  mother 
of  the  child,  who  is  generally  able  to  join 
them  in  the  repast.  The  old  lady  of  cere- 
monies, now  offers  up  a  short  prayer  to  the 
Creator,  or  the  Master  of  life,  as  they  denom- 
inate him,  in  behalf  of  the  new  born  babe, 
the  substance  of  which  is,  that  its  life  may  be 
spared,  and  that  it  may  grow ;  and  if  a  son, 
become  a  handsome  young  lad. 

A  woman  after  child  birth,  remains  in  the 
separate  dwelling  which  she  had  erected,  for 
the  space  of  about  thirty  days,  during  which 
time,  no  man  would,  on  any  account,  enter 
the  place  of  her  residence.  At  the  close  of 
this  period,  she  returns  to  her  tent,  and  the 
father  of  the  child  prepares  a  feast  to  which 
all  tl^eir  neighbours  are  invited,  the  object  of 
which  as  they  say,  is,  to  welcome  the  arrival 
of  the  little  stranger,  from  a  far  country. 

Should  a  male  child  live,  the  parents  dry 
the  meat  of  the  first  animal  that  he  killa^ 


300  ACCOUNT  OF  THE  INDIANS. 

and  carefully  keep  it,  until  they  can  collect 
a  suflBciency  of  something  to  make  a  feast. 
They  then  invite  their  friends,  of  both  sexes, 
to  come  and  partake  of  the  fruits  of  the 
hunt  of  their  son ;  for,  they  so  call  it,  because 
the  animal  which  he  killed,  they  mix  with 
what  his  parents  have  procured.  Before  any 
taste  of  the  feast,  one  of  the  most  respectable 
men  present,  takes  a  little  out  of  the  dish, 
and  throws  it  into  the  fire;  and  then  be- 
seeches the  Great  Spirit,  to  be  kind  to  the 
lad,  and  to  allow  him  to  grow  up,  and  to 
become  a  skilful  hunter;  and  to  cause  that 
when  he  goes  to  war,  he  may  not  behave 
like  an  old  woman,  but  may  return  with  the 
scalps  of  his  enemies. 

Indian  women  appear  to  suffer  less  pain  in 
child  birth,  than  women  in  civilized  countries. 
They  rarely  ever  take  any  medicine,  at  the 
time  of  delivery,  though  they  do,  at  times, 
drink  water,  in  which  the  rattle  of  a  rattle- 
snake has  been  boiled.  In  the  season  of 
labour,  they  place  their  knees  upon  the  floor 
or  ground,  and  lean  forward  over  something, 
raised  about  two  feet  high.  It  is  seldom 
more  than  a  quarter  or  a  half  an  hour,  be- 
fore the  child  is  born ;  and,  in  a  few  days  the 
mother  is  as  active  and  vigorous  as  ever. 
The  Indian  women  rarely  ever  die,  at  this 
critical  period. 

Among  the  natives,  those  persons  who  are 
in  any  way  deformed,  or  have  any  blemish 
about   them,    receive   their  name  from  this 


ACCOUNT  OF  THE  INDIANS.         301 

circumstance;  while  the  others  are  named, 
after  some  beast  or  bird.  No  Indian  will 
inform  another,  even  if  requested,  what  his 
own  name  is;  though  he  will,  if  asked,  give 
the  name  of  other  Indians.  Of  the  reason  of 
this  reserve  I  am  ignorant. 

It  is  not  often  that  an  Indian  chastises 
his  children;  and,  indeed,  it  is  not  necessary, 
for  they  appear,  in  general,  to  have  much 
affection  and  respect  for  their  parents,  and 
are  therefore  read^^  to  obey  them.  A  father 
never  interferes  in  the  bringing  up  of  his 
daughter;  but  leaves  her  wholly  to  the  care 
of  her  mother.  When  a  son  becomes  of  a 
suitable  age,  his  father  takes  him  with  him  in 
hunting,  and  learns  him  the  different  modes 
of  taking  animals.  A  son  until  he  is  married, 
considers  himself  as  under  his  father's  con- 
troul;  and  even  after  that,  he  will  gener- 
ally listen  to  any  advice,  which  his  father 
may  give  to  him.  The  aged  are  commonly 
treated  with  much  respect,  which  they  con- 
sider themselves  as  entitled  to  claim.  Should 
a  young  man  behave  disrespectfully  toward 
an  old  man,  the  aged  will  refer  him  to  his 
hoary  head,  and  demand  of  him,  if  he  be 
not  ashamed  to  insult  his  grey  hairs.  In 
short,  the  aged  of  both  sexes  are  generally 
treated  with  kindness;  and  are  not  suffered 
to  want  anything  which  they  need,  and  which 
it  is  in  the  power  of  their  relations  to  procure 
for  them. 

The  superior  influence  of  the  white  people. 


302  ACCOUNT  OF  THE  INDIANS. 

where  they  have,  for  a  considerable  time, 
resided  among  the  Indians,  has  very  much 
diminished  their  respect  for  their  own  chiefs ; 
though  there  are  some  among  them,  who 
bear  this  title.  The  feasts  are  commonly 
made  by  the  chiefs;  and  they,  also,  gener- 
ally make  the  harangues,  in  behalf  of  their 
bands,  when  they  visit  our  forts.  Their  war 
chiefs  have  considerable  influence  over  the 
young  men,  who  accompany  them,  in  their 
war  parties. 

Murder  and  theft  are  considered  as  crimes ; 
and  the  former  is  always  punished  with 
■death,  unless  the  murderer  makes  his  escape, 
which  is  generally  the  case.  Theft,  also,  is 
frequently  punished  in  a  similar  manner. 
Sometimes,  the  party  offended  will  be  ap- 
peased, by  the  restoration  of  the  stolen 
property,  or  of  an  equivalent. 

Generosity  is  among  the  Indian  virtues. 
They  are  more  ready,  in  proportion  to  their 
means,  to  assist  a  neighbour  who  may  be  in 
want,  than  the  inhabitants,  generally,  of 
•civilized  countries.  An  Indian  rarely  kills  an 
animal,  without  sending  a  part  of  it  to  a 
neighbour,  if  he  has  one  near  him. 

The  private  property  of  the  Indians,  con- 
sists of  horses,  dogs,  tents,  guns,  and  the 
utensils  that  belong  to  their  tents.  Some 
of  these  things,  a  little  before  their  death, 
they  bequeath  to  some  of  their  friends ;  but 
all  of  their  clothing,  guns,  powder  horns,  «&c. 
are  buried  with  them.     Indeed,  the  Indians 


ACCOUNT  OF  THE  INDIANS.         303 

suffer  nothing-  to  remain  in  or  about  the 
tent  of  a  person  who  has  died,  which  he  was 
accustomed  to  make  use  of  while  he  was 
alive.  They  consider  it  a  kind  of  sacrilege  to 
mention  the  name  of  a  person  after  he  is 
dead ;  and  they  never  speak  of  him  as  dead, 
but  as  miserable,  because,  they  say,  he  has 
taken  a  long  journey  alone,  to  the  country, 
to  which  his  deceased  relations  had  gone  be- 
fore him. 

Whenever  any  one  is  very  sick,  the  whole  of 
his  family,  and  frequently  all  of  his  relations, 
will  give  some  part  of  their  clothing  in  sac- 
rifice to  the  devil  or  evil  spirit,  who,  they 
suppose,  is  the  cause  of  his  illness.  They, 
however,  pray  to  the  Good  Spirit,  or  Master 
of  life,  for  his  recovery,  as  they  believe  that 
he  has  the  power,  if  he  choose  to  exercise  it, 
of  restoring  him  to  health,  notwithstanding^ 
the  design  which  the  evil  spirit  has,  of  tak- 
ing his  life  from  him. 

All  the  Indians  on  the  east  side  of  the 
Rocky  Mountain,  bury  their  dead.  After  a 
person  is  dead,  some  of  his  deceased  relatives 
cut  off  a  lock  of  his  hair,  which  they  care- 
fully lay  up;  and  they  sometimes  preserve 
such  relicks,  for  a  great  number  of  years. 
Preparatory  to  its  interment,  they  dress  the 
corpse  in  as  gay  a  manner  as  possible;  and 
then  wrap  a  blanket,  over  the  whole.  But 
they  never  sew  or  pin  this  blanket  together, 
lest  he  should  be  unable  to  shake  it  off  with 
ease,  when  he  arrives  in  the  other  world.    If 


304         ACCOUNT  OF  THE  INDIANS. 

it  were  fastened,  they  say,  he  might  lie  in  it 
for  several  days,  after  his  arrival  in  the  land 
of  his  departed  relations,  before  any  one 
would  meet  with,  and  release  him.  The  bot- 
tom and  sides  of  the  grave,  which  is  two  or 
three  feet  deep,  are  lined  with  the  branches 
of  trees.  The  corpse  is  then  deposited  in  it ; 
and  along  with  it,  a  pipe  and  tobacco,  a  dish 
or  small  kettle,  an  awl  and  sinews  to  repair 
his  shoes,  and  a  sufficiency  of  provisions,  to 
support  him  for  a  few  days,  until  he  shall 
arrive  in  the  land  of  plenty.  They  then 
cover  the  body  with  branches,  and  fill  up  the 
grave  with  earth ;  and  on  the  top  of  it,  they 
place  bark,  to  protect  it  from  the  rain  or 
snow.  They  then  clear  off  the  bushes  and 
grass,  for  eight  or  ten  feet  around  the  grave ; 
and  every  spring,  the  ground  is  thus  renew- 
edly  cleared,  for  several  years  after.  About 
the  grave,  they  set  up  a  few  stakes  on  which 
they  hang  strips  of  cloth,  tobacco,  &c.  While 
the  ceremonies  of  interment  are  performing, 
the  relatives  and  friends  of  the  deceased, 
make  the  most  dismal  moans  and  cries; 
and,  to  convince  others  of  their  grief,  and, 
as  they  say,  to  ease  their  wounded  hearts, 
some  of  them  cut  the  hair  of  their  heads 
short,  or  make  incisions  in  their  faces  and 
arms,  while  others,  to  whom  the  deceased 
was  more  dear,  will  seize  an  arrow,  in  an 
agony  of  grief,  and  run  it  through  the  fleshy 
part  of  their  thighs. 

The  Indians  generally  appear  to  be  more 


ACCOUNT  OF  THE  INDIANS.  305 

afflicted  with  the  loss  of  an  infant,  helpless 
child,  than  of  a  person  that  has  arrived  to 
mature  age;  for  the  latter,  they  say,  can 
provide  for  himself,  in  the  country  whither 
he  has  gone,  while  the  former,  is  too  young 
to  depend  upon  himself. 

The  men  appear  to  be  ashamed  to  mani- 
fest their  grief  at  the  loss  of  any  one,  how- 
ever dear  he  might  have  been  to  them;  but 
the  women  give  full  vent  to  the  feelings  of 
nature.  The  fond  mother,  when  she  looses  a 
young  child,  will  pull  out  all  the  hair  of  her 
head ;  cut  her  face,  arms  and  legs,  in  a  shock- 
ing manner ;  burn  all  her  clothes,  excepting  a 
few  rags,  which  she  has  upon  her;  and,  to 
render  herself  as  wretched,  as  she  expresses 
it,  as  her  child,  when  the  weather  is  stormy, 
she  will  stand  for  hours  at  a  time,  in  the 
open  air,  and  pitifull}^  moan,  in  such  lan- 
guage as  this.  "  How  wretched  are  you,  my 
child,  to  be  torn  from  your  friends  while  so 
young  and  lielpless;  and  to  be  sent  alone, 
into  a  strange  country !  Who  will  now  give 
you  bread  when  you  are  hungry,  and  water, 
when  you  are  thirsty,  and  make  a  covering 
for  you  to  lie  under  when  it  rains  or  snows  ! 
O  that  I  could  once  more  press  you,  my  dear 
child,  to  my  troubled  breast !  Of  what  use 
to  me  are  all  my  medicines,  since  they  could 
not  save  your  life,  and  keep  you  a  little  longer 
with  us  ! "  Then,  in  a  rage  of  passion  and  of 
grief,  she  will  rush  into  her  tent,  and  seize 
her  medicine  bag,  and  throw  it  into  the  fire. 


306  ACCOUNT  OF  THE  INDIANS. 

All  the  Indian  tribes  are  frequently  at  war 
with  each  other;  and  at  some  times,  two 
tribes  will  league  together,  against  one 
tribe  or  more.  Those  who  reside  in  a  woody 
country,  do  not  as  frequently  wage  war 
against  their  neighbours,  as  those  who  live 
in  the  large  plains.  The  latter,  generally 
engage  in  war,  either  offensive  or  defensive, 
at  the  opening  of  every  spring.  The  summer 
is  the  only  season  of  military  operations, 
among  the  Indians;  though  they  frequently 
employ  much  time  in  the  winter,  in  providing 
bows,  arrows,  guns  and  ammunition,  with 
reference  to  a  campaign,  the  ensuing  season. 
Preparatory  to  hostilities,  the  chiefs,  toward 
the  close  of  winter,  send  young  men  with 
presents  of  tobacco,  to  the  whole  tribe,  who 
are  scattered  over  their  territory,  inviting 
them  to  meet,  at  a  specified  place,  early  in 
the  spring,  in  general  council.  At  this  meet- 
ing, chiefs  are  appointed  to  conduct  the  war. 
The  war  pipe  is  then  lighted  up,  and  those 
who  are  willing  to  become  soldiers  in  the 
campaign,  smoke  the  pipe.  None  are  com- 
pelled to  enlist;  but,  to  excite  in  the  young 
men  a  martial  spirit,  and  to  stimulate  them 
to  become  his  followers,  the  war  chief  makes 
a  long  harangue,  in  which  he  relates  the  in- 
juries, that  they  have  received  from  their 
enemies.  By  a  strong  appeal  to  their  savage 
feelings,  he  labours  to  convince  them,  that 
it  will  be  sweet  and  manly,  to  revenge  these 
insults ;  and  to  return  from  the  war,  with  the 


ACCOUNT  OF  THE  INDIANS.  307 

scalps  of  their  enemies,  and  with  their  wives, 
and  children,  and  horses,  &c. 

A  feast  is  then  made,  of  which  all  partake, 
after  wliicli,  the  young  men  dance,  and  sing 
war  songs.  After  these  ceremonies  are  ended, 
the  chief  or  chiefs  set  out  on  the  war  ex- 
pedition, with  as  many  as  choose  to  follow 
them ;  and  as  they  leave  the  camp,  the  war 
party  join  in  a  war  song.  After  their  depar- 
ture, the  old  men  and  women  and  children 
pursue  their  usual  occupations,  to  obtain  a 
subsistence.  Frequently,  after  the  war  party 
has  been  gone  several  days,  some  of  the 
young  men  return,  to  join  their  relations  or 
lovers.  All  the  punishment  to  which  they 
subject  themselves  is,  to  be  called  old  women, 
by  which  is  meant,  cowards ;  a  charge  which 
touches  an  Indian  to  the  quick. 

War  parties  frequently  travel  four  or  five 
hundred  miles,  before  they  reach  the  territory 
of  their  enemies.  On  their  way,  they  subsist 
upon  animals  which  they  kill,  and  fish  which 
they  take,  from  the  lakes  and  rivers.  These 
supplies  are  often  very  inadequate,  and  they 
suffer  greatly  by  hunger. 

Having  arrived  near  the  place  where  they 
expect  to  find  their  enemies,  the  chiefs  send 
out  scouting  parties,  in  order  to  ascertain 
their  position,  numbers  and  any  other  cir- 
cumstances which  it  may  be  necessary  for 
them  to  know,  in  order  to  form  a  plan  for 
taking  them  by  surprise.  The  Indians  never 
attack  their  enemies  in  the  open  day;  but 


308  ACCOUNT  OF  THE  INDIANS. 

fall  upon  them  when  asleep,  near  the  ap- 
proach of  the  light  of  the  morning. 

If  they  succeed  in  conquering  their  enemies, 
as  is  generally  the  case,  since  those  who 
make  the  attack  have  greatly  the  advantage, 
they  make  terrible  havoc  among  the  men; 
but  they  labour  to  take  as  many  of  their 
women  and  children  alive,  as  they  possibly 
can,  in  order  to  carry  them  home  as  slaves. 
They  never  torture  these  captives;  but  keep 
them  to  perform  the  menial  service  about 
their  tents,  or  dispose  of  them  to  others. 
Sometimes  they  are  adopted  into  the  families 
of  their  enemies,  in  the  place  of  children  that 
they  have  lost;  and  then  they  are  treated 
with  all  the  tenderness  and  affection,  which 
would  be  exercised  toward  a  near  relation. 

On  their  return  from  the  expedition,  the 
war  party  approach  the  tents  of  their  band, 
with  their  faces  blackened,  and  singing  the 
war  song.  Their  relations  immediately  make 
a  feast,  at  which  the  warriours  dance,  with 
the  scalps  of  their  enemies  which  they  have 
taken,  in  t-heir  hands;  and  recount  the  his- 
tory of  the  expedition,  particularly  relating 
the  manner  in  which  they  fell  upon  their 
enemies,  the  number  of  men  that  they  killed, 
and  of  slaves,  horses,  &c.  which  they  have 
taken.  They  then  distribute  a  part  of  the 
booty,  among  the  aged  chiefs,  and  most 
respectable  men  of  the  tribe,  who  remained 
at  home.  The  young  men,  who  deserted  the 
party,  are  treated  with  contempt;  and  the 


ACCOUNT  OF  THE  INDIANS.  309 

young  women,  whose  charms  may  have  at- 
tracted them  back,  frequently  compose  songs 
of  derision,  in  regard  to  their  behaviour. 

The  occasions  of  war  among  the  Indians 
are  various.  Sometimes  a  person  in  one 
tribe  has  been  murdered  by  a  person  be- 
longing to  another  tribe;  sometimes  the 
members  of  one  tribe  have  hunted  on  the 
lands  of  another;  and  sometimes  horses 
have  been  stolen.  The  Indians,  who  inhabit 
the  large  plains,  who  always  go  to  war  on 
horseback,  frequently  attack  their  neighbours 
merely  to  obtain,  by  this  means,  horses  and 
slaves.  It  is  not  uncommon,  also,  for  the 
Natives,  when  they  lose  a  respected  chief, 
or  any  other  person  generally  beloved,  either 
by  an  ordinary  or  a  violent  death,  to  form 
a  war  party,  for  the  purpose  of  killing  one 
person  or  more,  of  a  neighbouring  tribe ;  and 
the  case  is  the  same,  whether  this  tribe  be 
at  peace  with  them,  or  not.  This  slaughter, 
they  say,  enables  them  to  calm  their  grief, 
and  sets  their  hearts  at  rest,  as  blood  has 
thus  been  offered  to  the  manes  of  their  de- 
parted friend. 

A  person  appointed  to  head  a  war  party, 
is  called  a  chief,  or  0-ke-maw.  He  must 
have  given  distinguished  proof  of  his  bravery, 
prudence  and  cunning,  in  former  war  ex- 
peditions, in  order  that  he  should  be  con- 
sidered as  qualified  to  fill  this  post.  Great 
skill,  in  coming  upon  an  enemy  by  surprise, 
as  on  this  circumstance  the  success   of   an 


310  ACCODNT  OF  THE  INDIANS. 

attack  depends,  is  considered  as  the  first  req- 
uisite in  a  military  leader.  It  is  considered 
necessary,  also,  that  he  should  be  well  ac- 
quainted with  the  situation  of  the  territories 
of  the  enemy,  and  with  the  course  leading  to 
them,  in  which  provisions  can  most  easily  be 
obtained.  A  war  party  sometimes  consists 
of  several  hundreds;  but  frequently  it  does 
not  amount  to  more  than  twenty.  The  war 
chief  has  no  authority  over  his  followers, 
but  his  advice  is  generally  respected  and  fol- 
lowed. 

It  is  not  often  that  two  tribes,  who  have 
been  in  the  habit  of  carrying  on  war  against 
each  other,  formally  enter  into  terms  of 
peace.  When  such  an  event  does  take  place, 
the  following  circumstances  attend  it.  One 
chief  or  more,  and  several  young  men  of  his 
tribe,  go  with  their  pipe  of  peace,  to  find 
their  enemies;  and  on  their  arrival  among 
them,  they  express  a  desire  to  hold  a  council 
with  them.  Upon  this,  all  the  elders  of  the 
tribe  visited  are  called  together;  and  the 
chief,  who  is  an  ambassadour  for  peace, 
makes  known  his  business,  and  strives  to 
convince  his  enemies,  that  it  will  be  for  their 
advantage  to  live  on  amicable  terms  vrith 
his  tribe. 

Should  the  terms  of  peace  be  agreed  on, 
the  parties  smoke  in  each  other's  pipes,  after 
which  a  feast  is  prepared;  and  when  that  is 
concluded,  the  remainder  of  the  night  is  spent 
in   singing   and    dancing.— But    should    th» 


ACCOUNT  OF  THE  INDIANS.  311 

embassy  be  unsuccessful,  the  chief,  with  his 
attendants,  will  return,  and  make  report  of 
his  proceedings  to  his  own  tribe;  and  those 
of  them  who  are  able  and  willing  to  bear 
arms,  will  immediately,  though  as  secretly  as 
possible,  commence  making  preparations  for 
a  campaign,  the  ensuing  spring.  The  points 
of  the  arrows,  which  the  Indians  use  in  at- 
tacking their  enemies,  are  sometimes  dipped 
in  a  poisonous  liquid  which  they  extract 
from  certain  roots. 

All  the  Indians  spend  much  of  their  time 
in  some  kind  of  amusement.  The  inhabi- 
tants of  the  plains,  generally,  and  of  New 
Caledonia,  live  in  large  bands ;  and  are  much 
more  addicted  to  a  useraents,  than  the  in- 
habitants of  woody  countries  who  are  more 
scattered.  Every  tribe  has  amusements  pe- 
culiar to  itself;  but  some  plays  are  com- 
mon to  all,  who  reside  on  the  east  side  of 
the  Kocky  Mountain.  The  Assiniboins,  as 
well  as  all  the  other  Indians  in  the  plains, 
spend  much  of  their  time  about  their  horses, 
and  are  fond  of  trying  their  speed.  Their 
youth,  from  the  age  of  four  or  five  to  that 
of  eighteen  or  twenty  years,  pass  nearly 
half  of  their  oime  in  shooting  arrows  at  a 
mark;  and  to  render  this  employment  more 
interesting,  they  always  have  something  at 
stake,  which  is  generally  nothing  more  than 
an  arrow,  or  something  of  small  value.  From 
eo  early  and  constant  a  practice,  they  become, 
at  length,  the  best  marksmen,  perhaps,  in 


312  ACCOUNT  OF  THE  INDIANS. 

the  world.  Many  of  them,  at  the  distance 
of  eight  or  ten  rods,  will  throw  an  arrow 
with  such  precision,  as  twice  out  of  three 
times,  to  hit  a  mark  of  the  size  of  a  dollar. 
The  young  men  often  amuse  themselves,  in 
the  summer  season,  by  a  game  of  ball. 

What  is  denominated  by  the  Indians,  the 
dish  game,  is  played  with  peculiar  interest, 
by  all  the  tribes  with  whom  I  have  been 
acquainted.  Eight  or  ten  little  pieces  of 
bones,  or  so  many  buttons,  or  some  similar 
things,  have  a  certain  number  of  marks  upon 
their  different  sides,  so  that  they  bear 
some  resemblance  to  dice.  These  are  put  into 
a  dish,  which  two  persons  shake  alternately, 
and  turn  its  contents  on  the  ground.  The 
marks  on  the  sides  of  the  bones,  &c.  which 
are  uppermost,  are  then  counted;  and,  in  a 
given  number  of  throws,  he  who  can  count 
the  greatest  number  of  marks,  wins  whatever 
is  at  stake;  for  they  never  play,  without 
something. 

The  Sauteux  and  Crees  are  very  fond  of 
playing  at  draughts ;  and  they  are  consider- 
ably skilful,  at  this  game.  They  have,  also, 
many  other  plays  and  diversions,  which 
enable  them  to  pass  away  the  greater  part 
of  their  leisure  time,  gaily.  The  Indians, 
generally,  appear  cheerful  and  contented, 
when  oppressed  by  no  present  difficulty  or 
danger ;  for  they  take  little  thought  for  the 
things  of  the  morrow. 

The  Indians  do  not  often  dance,  in  the 


ACCOUNT  OF  THE  INDIANS.  3ia 

day  time;  but  they  frequently  spend  their 
long  winter  evenings,  in  this  amusement, 
accompanied  by  singing;  and  they  appear 
to  enjoy  themselves  fully  as  well,  on  such 
occasions,  as  civilized  people  do,  at  their 
more  refined  assemblies. 

All  the  Natives  are  accustomed  to  make 
feasts,  on  various  occasions,  and  particularly 
when  any  uncommon  or  important  business 
is  to  be  transacted.  When  a  band  of  from 
thirty  to  fiity  tents  is  collected,  scarcely  a 
day  passes  without  an  entertainment,  made 
by  some  one  of  the  number. 

When  a  chief  proposes  to  make  a  feast,  he 
invites  such  guests  as  he  pleases,  by  sending 
to  them  quills,  or  small  pieces  of  wood. 
Every  person,  who  attends,  brings  with  him 
a  dish  and  a  knife.  The  chief  generally  re- 
ceives his  guests,  standing,  but  oftentimes, 
sitting ;  and  a  person  who  assists  him,  seats 
them,  according  to  their  ages  or  respect- 
ability, the  most  honourable  place  being 
next  to  the  chief.  After  having  made  a  divi- 
sion of  what  had  been  provided,  into  a  num- 
ber of  parts,  equal  to  the  number  of  persons 
present,  the  chief  lights  his  pipe,  and  smokes 
a  few  whiffs  himself;  and  he  then  presents 
the  stem  toward  the  sun,  as  if  offering  it 
to  that  luminary,  and  to  the  earth,  and 
then  to  his  deceased  relations,  pointing  it 
toward  the  fire.  These  ceremonies  being  over, 
he  presents  it  successively  to  each  person 
present,  who  smokes  a  few  whiffs  in  his  turn. 


314  ACCOUNT  OF  THE  INDIANS. 

A  small  quantity  of  meat  or  drink  is  then 
sacrificed,  by  throwing  it  into  the  fire,  or 
on  the  earth,  and  the  provisions  are  served 
round.  While  the  company  are  partaking  of 
them,  the  chief  sings,  and  accompanies  his 
song,  by  the  che-che-quy  or  tambourin.  The 
person  who  devours  his  portion  the  soonest, 
is  considered  as  deserving  applause.  If  any 
cannot  eat  all  that  is  set  before  him,  as  cus- 
tom does  not  allow  him  to  leave  any  thing, 
he  endeavours,  by  the  promise  of  a  reward 
of  tobacco  or  ammunition,  to  prevail  upon 
his  friends  to  assist  him.  These  substitutes, 
it  is  frequently  difficult  to  procure,  as  the 
food  provided  on  these  occasions,  is  gener- 
ally much  more  than  is  necessary  to  satisfy 
the  calls  of  nature.  At  some  of  their  feasts, 
a  more  rational  custom  prevails,  of  permit- 
ting the  guests  to  carry  away  what  they  do 
not  wish  to  eat,  of  their  portions.  The  meat 
which  is  generally  eaten  on  these  occasions, 
is  that  of  the  beaver;  and  the  bones  of  this 
animal,  which  are  extremely  hard,  that  re- 
main after  the  feast,  are  burned,  lest  the 
dogs,  by  attempting  to  break  them,  should 
injure  their  teeth. 

The  public  feasts  are  conducted  in  the 
same  manner,  but  with  additional  ceremony. 
Several  chiefs  unite  in  preparing  a  suitable 
place,  and  in  collecting  sufficient  provisions, 
for  the  accommodation  of  a  numerous  assem- 
blage. To  provide  a  place,  poles  are  fixed 
obliquely  into  the  ground,  enclosing  a  suf- 


ACCOUNT  OF  THE  INDIANS.  315 

ficient  space  to  hold  several  hundred,  and  at 
times,  nearly  a  thousand  people.  On  these 
posle,  skins  are  laid,  at  the  height  of  twelve 
or  fifteen  feet,  thus  forming  a  spacious  court, 
or  tent.  The  provisions  consist  both  of  dried 
and  of  fresh  meat,  as  it  would  not  be  prac- 
ticable to  prepare  a  suflicient  quantity  of 
fresh  meat,  for  such  a  multitude,  which, 
however,  consists  only  of  men.  At  these 
feasts,  the  guests  converse  only  on  elevated 
topics,  such  as  the  public  interests  of  the 
tribe,  and  the  noble  exploits  of  their  pro- 
genitors, that  they  may  infuse  a  publick  and 
an  heroic  spirit,  into  their  young  men.  Dan- 
cing always  forms  the  concluding  ceremony, 
at  these  festivals;  and  the  women,  who  are 
not  permitted  to  enter  the  place  where  they 
are  celebrated,  dance  and  sing  around  them, 
often  keeping  time  with  the  music  within. 

All  the  different  tribes  of  Indians,  on  the 
east  side  of  the  Rock}^  Mountain,  believe  in 
the  existence  of  one  Supreme  Being,  the 
creator  and  governour  of  the  world,  whom 
they  call  Kitch-e-mon-e-too,  or  the  Great 
Spirit;  and  to  him  they  ascribe  every  per- 
fection. They  consider  him  as  the  authour 
of  all  good,  and  as  too  benevolent  to  inflict 
any  evil  upon  his  creatures.  They  render  him 
little  worship ;  but  occasionally  supplicate  of 
him  success  in  their  important  undertak- 
ings, and  very  rarely,  render  him  some  sacri- 
fices, consisting  of  some  part  of  their  prop- 
erty. 


816  ACCOUNT  OF  THE  INDIANS. 

They,  also,  believe  in  the  existence  of  a 
bad  spirit,  whom  they  call  Much-e-mon-e-too, 
to  whom  they  ascribe  great  power,  and  who, 
they  believe  is  the  authour  of  all  evils,  by 
which  mankind  are  afflicted.  To  him,  there^ 
fore,  in  order  to  obtain  deliverance  iroxki 
evils  which  they  either  experience  or  fear, 
they  offer  many,  and  sometimes  expensive, 
sacrifices.  They  consider  him  as  ever  em- 
ployed, in  plotting  against  their  peace  and 
safety;  and  they  hope,  by  such  means,  to 
appease  his  anger. 

They,  also,  believe  that  there  are  good 
and  bad  spirits,  of  an  inferiour  order,  who 
are  superiour  to  men  in  the  scale  of  existence, 
and  who  have  allotted  spheres  of  action,  in 
which  they  are  contributing  to  the  happiness 
or  misery  of  mankind.  These  beings  they 
suppose  preside  over  all  the  extraordinary 
productions  of  nature,  such  as  large  lakes, 
rivers  and  mountains,  and  spacious  caverns, 
&c.  and  likewise  over  the  beasts,  birds,  fishes, 
vegetables,  and  stones,  that  exceed  the  rest 
of  their  species  in  size,  or  in  any  other  re- 
markable quality.  On  this  account,  they  pay 
to  all  these  objects,  some  kind  of  adoration. 

They,  also,  believe  in  a  future  state  of 
existence.  Those  who,  while  in  the  present 
world,  have,  according  to  their  ideas  of  right 
and  wrong,  led  a  good  life,  will,  at  death, 
immediately  enter  on  another  and  a  better 
state  of  existence,  where  they  will  meet  their 
departed    relatives    and    friends,    who    will 


ACCOUNT  OF  THE  INDIANS.  317 

welcome  them  in  the  most  affectionate  manner, 
to  their  happy  abode.  In  the  future  world, 
they  beheve  that  they  shall  possess  bodies 
more  beautiful  and  healthy  and  vigourous, 
than  those  which  they  animated  on  earth; 
and  that  they  shall  be  much  more  happy, 
than  they  were  in  the  present  life,  since  the 
country  in  which  they  will  reside,  abounds 
with  all  kinds  of  game,  which  they  will  be 
able  to  take,  with  little  or  no  trouble,  and 
supplies  every  gratification,  in  which  they 
now  delight,  in  perfection  and  without  end. 

But  those  who  lead  wicked  lives  on  earth, 
they  suppose  will,  at  death,  be  conveyed 
into  the  middle  of  an  extensive  swamp  op 
marsh,  where  they  will,  for  a  considerable 
length  of  time,  be  doomed  to  wander  about 
alone,  in  search  of  their  deceased  friends. 
After  having  suffered  greatly,  from  hunger 
and  cold,  they  suppose  that  they  will,  at 
length,  arrive  at  the  pleasant  habitation  of 
their  departed  relatives,  and  participate  with 
them,  in  all  its  delights  forever. 

The  religious  observances  of  the  Indians, 
consist  of  prayers,  of  feasts,  and  of  a  sacrifice 
of  some  part  of  their  property.— Their  pray- 
ers, which  are  offered  only  on  special  oc- 
casions, are  always,  addressed  to  the  Supreme 
Being,  or  Master  of  Life.  Their  religious 
festivals  are  attended  with  much  serious  cere- 
mony. They  commence  with  opening  the 
medicine  bag,  and  displaying  its  contents, 
and  with  smoking  out  of  the  sacred  stem. 


318  ACCOUNT  OF  THE  INDIANS. 

Almost  every  male  Indian  has  a  medicine  bag, 
which  is  commonly  made  of  leather,  and  is 
about  two  feet  long,  and  a  foot  broad.  The 
following  articles  are  generally  contained  in 
this  bag.  The  principal  in  importance  is 
a  small  image,  carved  to  resemble  a  bird, 
beast  or  human  being,  which  they  seem  to 
consider  as  the  peculiar  residence  of  their  tute- 
lary spirit.  This  image,  they  carefully  wrap 
in  down,  around  which  a  piece  of  birch  bark 
is  tied,  and  the  whole  is  enclosed  in  several 
folds  of  red  and  blue  cloth.  Every  Indian 
appears  to  have  a  reverence  for  the  Image 
in  his  own  medicine  bag;  but  will  often 
speak  disrespectfully  of  one,  belonging  to 
another  person.  The  next  article  in  the 
bag,  is  the  war  cap  of  its  owner,  which  is 
decorated  with  the  plumes  of  scarce  birds, 
and  with  the  claws  of  the  beaver,  eagle,  &c. 
It  has  also  a  quill  or  feather,  suspended  from 
it,  for  every  enemy,  whom  its  owner  has  slain 
in  battle.  The  other  contents  of  the  bag  are 
a  piece  of  tobacco,  and  some  roots  and  other 
substances,  which  are  supposed  to  possess 
valuable  medicinal  qualities.  To  the  outside 
of  the  bag,  the  sacred  stem  is  tied,  which  is 
generally  about  six  feet  long.  This  stem  is 
used  only  for  smoking  on  sacred  occasions. 
This  medicine  bag  is  generally  hung,  in  fair 
weather,  on  the  limb  of  a  tree,  or  on  a  stake, 
at  a  little  distance  from  the  tent ;  and  an 
Indian  would  severely  beat  his  wife,  if  she 
should    presume   to    touch   it.    This   is   the 


ACCOUNT  OF  THE  INDIANS.  319 

only  article  which  the  men  invariably  carry 
themselves,  when  they  are  decamping.  Many 
of  them  pretend,  that  by  examining  it,  they 
can  foretel  future  events.— The  women,  also, 
have  their  own  medicine  bag;  but  they  are 
not  considered  as  of  a  sacred  character,  and 
merely  contain  their  own  articles  of  medicine. 
—Smoking  out  of  the  sacred  stem,  is  per- 
formed with  numerous  ceremonies,  many  of 
which  are  probably  unmeaning. 

Some  Indians  make  a  promise  to  the 
Master  of  Life,  that  they  will  make  a  feast 
every  spring  during  a  certain  number  of  suc- 
cessive years,  if  their  lives  are  spared;  and 
they  religiously  fulfil  such  vows. 

Some  of  their  feasts  are  designed  to  pro- 
pitiate the  evil  spirit,  as  are  nearly  all  the 
sacrifices  which  they  make  of  their  property. 
Sometimes  in  an  open  enclosure,  on  the  bank 
of  a  river  or  lake,  they  make  large  sacrifices 
of  their  property.  They  choose  a  conspicuous 
situation,  that  those  who  pass  by,  may 
be  induced  to  make  their  offering.  If  any 
of  the  tribe  that  makes  these  offerings,  or 
even  a  stranger  who  is  passing  these  places, 
should  be  in  urgent  want  of  anything 
which  has  been  deposited  as  an  offering,  he 
is  allowed  to  take  it,  by  replacing  it  with 
another  article  which  he  can  spare,  though 
of  inferiour  value ;  but  to  take  wantonly  any 
of  those  devoted  articles,  is  considered  as 
sacrilege. 

There   are    also   certain  large  rocks  and 


320  ACCOUNT  OF  THE  INDIANS. 

caves,  which  they  never  pass  without  leaving 
at  them  some  trifling  article;  for  they  sup- 
pose that  they  are  the  habitations  of 
some  good  or  evil  spirits.  Indeed  they 
think  that  almost  every  lake,  river  and 
mountain  has  its  tutelary  spirit,  whom  they 
attempt  to  propitiate,  by  some  offering. 

All  the  Natives  suppose  the  earth  to  be 
an  extensive  plain,  and  that  it  is  always  at 
rest ;  and  that  the  sun  and  moon  and  many 
of  the  stars  continually  revolve  around  it. 
The  sun,  they  believe  to  be  a  large  body 
of  fire.  To  many  of  the  stars  they  have 
given  names,  such  as  the  morning  star,  the 
evening  star,  and  the  seven  stars;  and 
by  their  position  in  the  heavens,  they  are 
able  to  determine  the  time  of  night.  They, 
also,  direct  their  course  by  them  in  travel- 
ling, in  the  night  season.  The  stars  which 
they  have  named,  they  perceive  change  their 
position  continually  in  the  heavens ;  and  they 
believe  that,  like  the  sun  and  the  moon,  they 
revolve  around  the  earth.  Of  the  motion  of 
the  other  stars,  they  take  no  notice  and  con- 
sider them  as  stationary.  The  following  is 
the  manner  in  which  they  divide  a  day  and 
night,  or  twenty  four  hours :  from  the  first 
appearance  of  day  light  to  sunrise,  from  this 
time  till  noon,  from  noon  to  sunset,  from 
this  to  midnight,  and  from  midnight  to  day 
break.  They  are  ignorant  of  the  number  of 
days,  which  there  are  in  a  year;  but  reckon 
thirteen  moons,  to  complete  the  four  seasons. 


ACCOUNT  OF  THE  INDIANS.  321 

The  following  are  the  names  of  the  four 
seasons,  in  the  Cree  tongue.  Winter,  A-pe- 
pook  or  Pepoon;  Spring,  Me-is-ka-roick  or 
Se-gum-uck ;  Summer,  Nic-pin ;  Autumn,  Tuck- 
wa-gin. 

The  names,  which  they  give  to  the  moons 
that  compose  the  year,  are  descriptive  of 
the  several  seasons,  and  in  Cree,  are  the 
following : 

May,  I-ich-e  Pes-im,  Frog  Moon. 

June,  0-pin-a-wa  we  Pes-im,  the  Moon  in 
which  birds  begin  to  lay  their  eggs. 

July,  0-pus-ko  we  Pes-im,  The  Moon  when 
birds  cast  their  feathers. 

August,  0-pa-ko  we  Pes-im,  The  Moon  when 
the  young  birds  begin  to  fly. 

September,  Wa-was-kis  o  Pes-im,  The 
Moon  when  the  moose  cast  their  horns;  or 
A-pin-nas-ko  o  Pes-im,  The  Moon  when  the 
leaves  fall  off  from  the  trees. 

October,  0-no-chi-hit-to-wa  o  Pes-im,  The 
rutting  Moon ;  or  0-ke-wa-ow  o  Pes-im,  The 
Moon  when  the  fowls  go  to  the  south. 

November,  Ay-e-coop-ay  o  Pes-im,  Hoar 
frost  Moon.  Kus-kut-te-no  o  Pes-im,  Ice 
Moon. 

December,  Pa-watch-e-can-a-nas  o  Pes-im, 
Whirlwind   Moon. 

January,  Kush-a-pa-was-ti-ca-num  o  Pes- 
im,  Extreme  cold  Moon. 

February,  Kee-chay  o  Pes-im,  The  Moon 
when  small  birds  begin  to  chirp  or  sing; 
or  Kich-ee  o  Pes-im,  Big,  or  old  Moon. 


322  ACCOUNT  OF  THE  INDIANS. 

March,  Me-ke-su   o   Pes-im,    Eagle    Moon. 

April,  Nis-ka  o  Pes-im,  Goose  Moon,  as  at 
this  season,  these  animals  return  from  the 
south. 

The  Indians  compute  the  distance  from 
one  place  to  another,  by  the  number  of 
nights  which  they  have  passed,  in  perform- 
ing a  journey  from  one  to  the  other. 

All  the  Natives  employ  hieroglyphicks, 
for  the  purpose  of  conveying  information 
to  those  who  are  distant  from  them ;  and 
this  mode  of  communication,  is  often  of 
great  service  to  them,  as  the  following  cir- 
cumstances will  evince.  Portions  of  each 
tribe,  generally  assemble  at  certain  placee, 
every  year.  When  they  separate,  they  proceed 
in  different  directions;  and  at  every  place 
where  they  severally  encamp,  they  fix  a  num- 
ber of  sticks  in  the  ground,  leaning  towards 
the  place  where  they  next  intend  to  pitch 
their  tents.  If  they  have  been  successful  in 
the  chace,  they  paint  or  draw  on  a  piece  of 
bark,  the  number  and  kinds  of  animals  which 
they  may  have  killed,  and  hang  the  bark 
upon  a  stake.  When  Indians  who  have  been 
unsuccessful  in  regard  to  killing  animals,  fall 
upon  these  notices,  they  derive  important 
advantages  from  them,  as  they  are  thus 
guided  to  the  place,  where  they  may  prob- 
ably obtain  a  supply  of  food.  Indeed,  with- 
out some  such  regulation,  the  Natives  would 
often  be  in  great  danger  of  perishing  with 
hunger.      On    the  piece  of  bark,  containing 


ACCOUNT  OF  THE  INDIANS.  323 

information  respecting  their  past  success,  and 
their  future  course,  they  leave,  also,  the  date 
of  their  encampment,  by  painting  the  animal, 
or  whatever  else  it  is  that  gives  name  to  the 
then  present  Moon,  or  month,  and  by  de- 
scribing the  figure  of  the  Moon  at  that  par- 
ticular time.  And  so  correct  is  this  mode  of 
conveying  intelligence,  that  a  person  accus- 
tomed to  it,  will  generally  ascertain,  within 
from  twelve  to  twenty  four  hours,  the  time 
designed  to  be  specified. 

The  Indians  possess  a  quick  perception, 
and  strong  curiosity',  and  a  very  retentive 
memory;  and  every  circumstance  which  oc- 
curs, and  the  various  objects  which  present 
themselves  to  their  view,  are  noticed  and  rec- 
ollected. And,  therefore,  at  the  expiration 
of  twenty  years  after  they  have  passed  only 
once  through  a  country,  to  the  distance  of 
several  hundred  miles,  they  will  return  by  the 
same  way  in  which  they  came.  Mountains, 
hills,  prairies,  lakes,  valleys,  remarkable  rocks, 
&c.  are  the  objects  which  they  especially 
notice,  and  the  situation  of  which,  they  treas- 
ure up  in  their  memories ;  and  by  these  they 
are  enabled  to  follow  a  former  track.  Al- 
most any  Indian,  who  has  passed  once 
through  a  country,  is  able  to  draw  so  correct 
a  chart  of  it,  with  a  piece  of  charcoal,  on 
bark,  that  an  entire  stranger,  by  its  assis- 
tance, would  be  able  to  direct  his  course  t<s 
a  particular  place,  several  hundred  miles  dis- 
tant,   without   varying    a  league  from    his 


324  ACCOUNT  OF  THE  INDIANS. 

object. — The  Natives  are  never  at  a  loss  in  re- 
gard to  tlie  different  points  of  the  compass, 
particularly  in  a  woody  country,  as  they  well 
know,  that  on  the  north  side  of  the  trees, 
more  moss  is  found,  than  on  the  other  sides. 
The  priest  among  the  Indians,  is  also  a 
physician  and  a  conjurer  or  magician. — WTien 
he  acts  as  priest,  he  presides  at  feasts  and 
funerals. — In  the  capacity  of  physician,  when 
sent  for,  he  visits  the  sick  and  wounded,  and 
prescribes  medicines  for  their  healing,  and 
directs  in  their  application,  in  doing  which 
he  goes  through  with  many  ceremonies,  with 
great  gravity.  If  the  patient  is  very  ill,  he 
attends  him  at  least  every  morning,  and 
sings  and  shakes  his  che-che-quy,  for  an  hour 
or  two,  over  his  head,  making  an  unpleasant 
noise,  which,  it  would  seem,  must  do  injury 
to  the  sick  person.  These  Indian  physicians 
do  at  times,  however,  perform  distinguished 
cures.  Their  medicines  consist  of  the  bark 
of  particular  trees,  of  roots  and  of  herbs, 
used  at  some  times  in  their  simple  state,  and 
at  others  in  a  compounded  form.  For  wounds 
and  sores,  they  use,  chiefly,  decoctions  of 
roots.  The  doctor  is  always  well  paid  for 
his  services,  and  his  profession  is  the  most 
lucrative  of  any  among  the  Indians. — When 
he  acts  as  conjurer,  he  shuts  himself  up  in 
a  small  cabin,  where  he  is  completely  con- 
cealed from  the  view,  and  where  he  remains 
silent,  during  ten  or  fifteen  minutes.  He 
then   begins  to  sing,  and  to  beat  his  drum, 


ACCOUNT  OF  THE  INDIANS  325 

and  continues  to  do  so,  for  about  half  an 
hour.  And  then,  if  any  one  has  a  question 
to  propose  respecting  futurity,  he  is  ready 
to  answ'er  it,  which,  however,  he  will  not  do. 
without  a  trifling  recompense.  It  is  not  un- 
common for  events  to  take  place,  much  as 
these  conjurers  predict ;  but  whether  this  is 
to  be  attributed  to  their  natural  sagacity, 
or  to  accident,  or  to  other  circumstances, 
I  pretend  not  to  determine. 

A  person  who  is  desirous  of  becoming  a 
physician  or  conjurer,  is  publickly  initiated, 
with  much  mysterious  ceremony.  Among 
these  ceremonies  are  the  following.  The  old 
physicians  prepare  an  entertainment  for  a 
certain  number  of  people ;  and  for  the  young 
candidate,  they  have  a  peculiar  mess,  which 
consists  of  a  bitch,  boiled  with  her  young  in 
her.  A  part  of  this  animal,  he  must  eat ;  and 
they  suppose  that  it  possesses  the  magical 
power,  of  inspiring  him  with  a  knowledge 
of  the  medicinal  qualities  of  all  kinds  of 
barks,  herbs,  roots,  &c. — A  woman,  who 
wishes  to  become  a  midwife,  must  not  only 
eat  a  part  of  the  bitch,  but  must,  also, 
partake  of  her  puppies,  and  drink  of  the 
broth  in  which  they  were  boiled;  and  by 
this  means,  she  gains,  as  is  supposed,  all 
the  knowledge  requisite  to  the  practice  of 
this  difficult  art. 

The  Indian  phj^sicians  never  fail  of  leaving 
in  the  place  where  they  collect  the  roots, 
herbs,     &c.    which   they   use    as    medicines, 


326         ACCOUNT  OF  THE  LNDIANS. 

some  trifling  article,  as  a  recompense  to  the 
guardian  spirits,  that  preside  over  these 
substances,  for  what  they  have  taken.  An 
omission  of  this  would,  in  their  apprehension, 
destroy  most,  if  not  all  the  efficacy  of  their 
medicines. 

The  Natives,  in  general,  are  very  credu- 
lous and  superstitious.  They  believe  that 
many  of  their  own  medicines,  when  properly 
applied,  will  effect  almost  any  thing.  They 
think,  however,  that  we  possess  some,  which, 
for  certain  purposes,  are  much  more  effica- 
cious than  their  own.  All  Indians  are  very 
desirous  of  having  a  numerous  offspring ;  and, 
therefore,  those,  whose  wives  are  barren,  will 
frequently  apply  to  us  for  such  a  medicine 
as  will  cause  them  to  become  the  mothers  of 
children. — The  young  women,  also,  make  use 
of  a  certain  powder,  of  their  own  composi- 
tion, for  the  purpose  of  engaging  or  increas- 
ing the  affections  of  their  favourites,  for 
them.  By  throwing  this  even  upon  a  stran- 
ger, who  is  passing,  they  believe,  it  will  cause 
him  to  be  in  love  with  them.  In  a  word, 
they  ascribe  a  power  to  this  medicine,  like 
that,  which  more  refined  imaginations  have 
attributed  to  the  arrows  of  Cupid.  The 
young  women,  also,  employ  many  other 
magical  arts,  to  accomplish  the  same  object. 
— A  woman  who  is  fond  of  her  husband,  and 
who  supposes  that  he  has  little  affection  for 
her,  will  rub  a  certain  medicine  in  the  palm 
of   her  hand,  as  she  is  going  to  bed;  and 


ACCOUNT  OF  THE  INDIANS.  327 

after  he  falls  asleep,  she  will  lay  her  hand 
on  his  heart;  and  the  medicine,  she  thinks, 
possesses  the  power  of  uniting  their  hearts 
together,  and  of  causing  their  affection,  ever 
afterward,  to  be  reciprocal. 

The  Indians  have  no  professional  mechan- 
icks  among  them.  Every  man  is  his  own 
artificer,  and  is  able  to  construct  the  few 
domestick  manufactured  articles,  which  he 
uses.  Some  persons  among  them,  more  in- 
genious than  the  rest,  are  frequently  applied 
to,  to  execute  some  things  which  require 
considerable  skill,  such  as  putting  a  stock 
to  a  gun ;  but  they  take  no  compensation, 
for  such  a  service.  Their  bows  and  arrows 
are  neatly  constructed.  In  order  to  make 
their  arrows  round  and  straight  and 
smooth,  after  they  have  been  reduced  nearly 
to  their  proper  size  with  a  knife,  they  use  the 
following  method.  They  take  two  pieces 
of  wood,  of  suitable  thickness,  which  are 
several  inches  long,  and  cut  in  each  of  them 
a  straight  channel,  of  the  same  size,  and 
of  such  a  shape,  that,  when  both  are  placed 
together,  they  form  a  circular  hole.  Over  this 
channel,  they  spread  glue,  and  upon  that 
they  sprinkle  sand;  and  they  repeat  the 
operation,  until  a  complete  file  is  formed. 
The  arrow  is  then  placed  in  the  channel, 
between  the  two  pieces  of  wood,  and  is 
briskly  passed  backward  and  forward,  until 
it  is  reduced  to  its  proper  size.  Their  pipes 
are  made  of  a  soft  stone.    The  bowl,   into 


328  ACCOUNT  OF  THE  INDIANS. 

which  the  tobacco  is  put,  is  circular,  and 
at  the  bottom  it  is  flat,  and  much  broader. 
These  pipes  are  frequently  carved,  in  a  curi- 
ous manner.  The  pipe  is  connected  with  its 
stem  by  a  chain,  generally  made  of  brass 
wire,  which  the  Indians  obtain  from  us,  and 
which  hangs  loosely  from  one  to  the  other. 
The  stem  is  of  wood,  such  as  has  a  small 
pith;  and  as  their  sacred  stems  are  about 
six  feet  in  length,  the  manner  in  which  they 
extract  this  pith,  deserves  to  be  mentioned. 
They  use,  for  this  purpose,  a  piece  of  sea- 
soned hard  wood.  It  is  sharpened  to  a 
point,  at  one  end;  and  at  a  little  distance 
from  this,  it  is  reduced  to  a  smaller  size, 
by  a  perpendicular  cut  around  it,  by  which 
a  kind  of  head  or  barb  is  formed.  By 
pushing  this  in  and  drawing  it  out,  the 
pith  is  gradually  extracted.  The  wood  which 
forms  the  handle  to  this  barb,  is  reduced  to 
a  very  small  size,  as  fast  only  as  is  required 
by  the  length  of  the  hole.  Wooden  dishes, 
they  construct,  with  crooked  knives.  The 
women  manifest  much  ingenuity  and  taste, 
in  the  work  which  they  execute,  with  porcu- 
pine quills.  The  colour  of  these  quills  is 
various,  beautiful  and  durable;  and  the  art 
of  dying  them,  is  practised  only  by  females. 
To  colour  black,  they  make  use  of  a  choco- 
late coloured  stone,  which  they  burn,  and 
pound  fine,  and  put  into  a  vessel,  with  the 
bark  of  the  hazel-nut  tree.  The  vessel  is 
then  filled  with  water,  and  into  it  the  quills 


ACCOUNT  OF  THE  INDIANS.  329 

are  put,  and  the  vessel  is  placed  over  a  small 
fire,  where  the  liquor  in  it  is  permitted  to 
simmer,  for  two  or  three  hours.  The  quills 
are  then  taken  out,  and  put  on  a  board,  to 
dry,  before  a  gentle  fire.  After  they  have 
been  dried  and  rubbed  over  with  bear's  oil, 
they  become  of  a  beautiful  shining  black, 
and  are  fit  for  use.  To  dye  red  or  yellow, 
they  make  use  of  certain  roots,  and  the 
moss  which  they  find,  on  a  species  of  the 
fir  tree.  These  are  put,  together  with  the 
quills,  into  a  vessel,  filled  with  water,  made 
acid,  by  boiUng  currants  or  gooseberries, 
&c.  in  it.  The  vessel  is  then  covered  tight, 
and  the  liquid  is  made  to  simmer  over  the 
fire,  for  three  or  four  hours,  after  which  the 
quills  are  taken  out  and  dried,  and  are  fit 
for  use.  Feathers,  they  also  dye  in  a  simi- 
lar manner,   and  these  colours  never  fade. 

Many  of  the  Indians,  particularly  those 
on  the  west  side  of  the  Rocky  Mountain, 
who  have  not  procured  steels  from  us,  for 
the  purpose  of  striking  fire,  produce  it,  by 
placing  one  end  of  a  small  dry  stick  against 
another  piece  of  dry  wood;  and  by  rolling 
it  briskly  between  their  two  hands,  the  fric- 
tion, in  a  short  time  communicates  fire  to 
dry  hay  or  touchwood,  placed  around  it. 

Among  the  Indians,  there  are  poets,  who 
are  also  musicians.  The  person  who  com- 
poses a  song,  does  it  by  singing  it  over 
alone,  in  the  air  which  he  designs  shall  ac- 
company  it;    and    he  repeats  this  exercise, 


330  ACCOUNT  OF  THE  INDIANS. 

until  he  has  committed  both  suflBciently  to 
memory.  After  that,  he  frequently  teaches 
it  to  others.  Songs  are  frequently  composed 
for  particular  occasions,  such  as  feasts,  &c. 
Among  the  Carriers,  there  are  often  several 
competitors  for  this  honour;  and  he  who 
composes  the  best  song,  is  rewarded,  while 
the  unsuccessful  poets  are  treated  with  deri- 
sion. The  subjects  of  their  songs  are  gener- 
ally love  and  war,  though  they  have  some 
which  are  ludicrous  and  obscene.  They  have 
a  great  variety  of  songs ;  and  I  have  known 
an  Indian  who  could  sing  at  least  two  hun- 
dred, and  each  song  had  its  peculiar  air. 
Female  poets  are  not  common  among  them. 
Some  of  the  women,  however,  are  excellent 
singers. 

No  two,  of  the  fifteen  tribes  of  Indians, 
with  whom  I  have  been  acquainted,  speak 
precisely  the  same  language;  but  the  lan- 
guages of  nine  of  them  only,  seem  to  be 
radically  different.  There  is  only  a  variation 
of  dialect  among  the  Crees,  Sauteux  and 
Muscagoes.  The  same  is  true  of  the  Chipe- 
wyans,  Beaver  Indians,  Sicannies,  Tacullies 
and  Nateotetains.  The  language  spoken  by 
the  Sauteux,  Crees  and  Muscagoes  is  by  far 
the  most  copious  and  manly ;  but  that  used 
by  the  Assiniboins,  is  the  most  harmonious 
and  elegant. 

Every  tribe  has  its  particular  tract  of 
country;  and  this  is  divided  again,  among 
the  several  families,  which  compose  the  tribe. 


ACCOUNT  OF  THE  INDIANS.  331 

Rivers,  lakes  and  mountains,  serve  them  e 
boundaries;  and  the  limits  of  the  territoc. 
which  belongs  to  each  family  are  as  weu 
known  by  the  tribe,  as  the  lines  which  sep- 
rate  farms  are,  by  the  farmers,  in  the  civil- 
ized world.  The  Indians  who  reside  in  the 
large  plains,  make  no  subdivisions  of  their 
territory;  for  the  wealth  of  their  country 
consists  of  buffaloes  and  wolves,  which  exist 
in  plenty,  everywhere  among  them.  But  the 
case  is  otherwise,  with  the  inhabitants  of  the 
woody  countries.  These  people  have  nothing 
with  which  to  purchase  their  necessaries,  ex- 
cepting the  skins  of  animals,  which  are  valu- 
able for  their  fur;  and  should  they  destroy 
all  these  animals  in  one  season,  they  would 
cut  off  their  means  of  subsistence.  A  pru- 
dent Indian,  whose  lands  are  not  well  stocked 
with  animals,  kills  only  what  are  absolutely 
necessary  to  procure  such  articles  as  he  can- 
not well  dispense  with. 

The  foregoing  account  of  the  Natives,  hav- 
ing a  principal  reference  to  the  tribes  on  the 
east  side  of  the  Rocky  Mountain,  it  may  be 
proper,  in  concluding  it,  to  make  a  few  gen- 
eral remarks  on  the  country  which  they 
inhabit. 

That  part  of  it  which  lies  between  the 
44th  and  the  52d  degrees  of  north  latitude, 
is  a  plain  or  prairie  country,  almost  wholly 
destitute  of  timber,  of  any  kind.  It  is,  in 
general,  sufficiently  dry  for  any  kind  of  cul- 
tivation; and  is  covered  with  grass,  which 


332  ACCOUNT  OF  THE  INDIANS. 

commonly  grows  to  the  height  of  from  six 
inches  to  a  foot,  though  in  some  marshy 
places  it  is  much  higher.  This  grass  fur- 
nishes food  for  innumerable  herds  of  buf- 
faloes, which  are  constantly  roving  about, 
from  place  to  place,  followed  by  thousands 
of  wolves,  and  many  grey  and  black  bears, 
that  are  always  on  the  watch,  for  favourable 
opportunities  to  fall  upon  and  devour  them. 
The  grey  bear,  on  account  of  his  strength 
and  ferocity,  may  well  be  denominated  tho 
monarch  of  the  forest ;  and  should  he  at  any 
time  find  an  hundred  wolves  or  more,  feed- 
ing on  the  carcase  of  the  buffaloe,  the  sight 
of  him  would  cause  them  all  to  retire,  with 
all  the  humility  and  submission  of  conscious 
weakness,  and  he  would  be  permitted  to 
make  his  meal,  at  his  leisure  and  in  quiet- 
ness. 

The  country  lying  between  the  5 2d  and 
the  70th  degree  of  north  latitude,  may  be 
denominated  mountainous.  Between  its  ele- 
vated parts,  however,  there  are  valleys  and 
plains,  of  considerable  extent,  and  which  are 
covered  with  timber,  of  a  small  growth, 
more  than  one  fourth  part  of  which  is  the 
spruce  fir.  The  other  kinds  of  timber  are 
aspin,  poplar,  birch,  hemlock,  spruce,  cedar, 
willow,  and  a  little  pine.  Much  of  this  coun- 
try, in  its  less  elevated  parts,  is  covered 
with  large  rocks  and  stones,  with  so  thin 
a  coat  of  earth  upon  them,  that  it  could 
not  be  cultivated.    I  am  of  opinion,  however, 


ACCOUNT  OF  THE  INDIANS.  333 

that  one  fourth,  if  not  one  third  part,  of 
the  whole  of  this  great  extent  of  country, 
might  be  cultivated  to  advantage.  The  soil, 
in  general,  is  tolerably  good ;  and,  in  many 
places,  is  not  exceeded  in  richness,  by  any 
part  of  North  America.  I  think  it  probable, 
^that  as  much  as  one  sixth  part  of  the  whole 
of  this  country,  is  covered  with  water.  The 
great  number  of  large  lakes,  which  are  scat- 
tered over  it,  and  of  noble  streams,  which 
pass  through  it,  afford  a  water  communi- 
cation, in  almost  every  direction. 

As  this  country  is  so  extensive,  it  is  natu- 
ral to  suppose,  that  the  climate  is  various. 
In  all  parts  it  is  considerably  cold.  In 
latitude  54*^  or  55*^  the  mercury,  for 
several  successive  days,  in  the  month  of 
January,  is  as  low  as  30  or  32  degrees  be- 
low zero.  There  are  not,  however,  more 
than  ten  or  twelve  days,  during  a  winter, 
that  are  so  severely  cold.  The  summers  are 
sufficiently  warm  and  long,  to  bring  most 
kinds  of  grain  and  vegetables  to  perfection. 
Indian  corn  will  never  ripen  farther  north, 
than  about  latitude  53°. 

The  following  fact  may  be  interesting  to 
some  persons,  as  perhaps  no  similar  dis- 
covery has  been  made,  equally  far  north. 
In  the  summer  of  1816  there  was  found,  on 
the  margin  of  a  small  stream  that  falls  into 
Peace  River,  in  about  the  56th  degree  of 
north  latitude,  and  the  118th  of  west  lon- 
gitude, a  part  of  the  thigh  bone  of  a  Mam- 


334         ACCOUNT  OF  THE  INDIANS. 

moth,  which  was  about  eighteen  inches  in 
length,  and  which  weighed  twenty  eight 
pounds.  During  that  summer,  the  waters 
rose  very  high,  in  all  the  streams  in  that 
region;  and  when  they  subsided,  the  banks 
in  many  places,  fell  in.  It  was  in  such  a 
place,  that  this  bone  was  found.  It  was 
sent  to  Canada,  and  I  believe,  thence  to 
England. 


A  SPECIMEN 


CREE  OR  KNISTENEUX  TONGUE, 

WHICH    IS    8POKEN,    BY    AT     LEAST    THREE     FOURTHS 

OF    THE    INDIANS    OF    THE    NORTH    WEST 

COUNTRY,  ON  THE  EAST  SIDE  OF  THE 

EOCKY  MOUNTAIN. 


Good  Spirit 

Evil  Spirit 

Man 

Woman 

Young  man 

Young  woman 

Infant 

Head 

Forehead 

Cheek 

Chin 

Hair 

Eye 

Nose 


Kitch-e-mon-e-too 

Mutch-e-m  on-e-t  o  o 

A-ye-nu 

Es-qui 

Os-kin-e-gew 

Os-kin-e-gis-qui 

A-wa-sis 

Is-te-gwen 

Mis-kaw-tick 

Mon-o-wy 

Ta-lis-kun 

Mis-te-ky-ah 

Mis-kee-sick 

Mis-kee-won 


336 


SPECIMEN  OF  THE  CREE 


Nostril 

Mouth 

Tooth 

Tongue 

Beard 

Brains 

Ear 

Neck 

Throat 

Arms 

Hands  or  fingers 

Thumb 

Nail 

Side 

Back 

Belly 

Thigh 

Body 

Knee 

Leg 

Foot 

Heart 

Spirit  or  soul 

Father 

Mother 

Son 

Daughter 

Brother  (elder) 

Sister  (elder) 

Brother  (younger) 

Sister  (younger) 

Grand  Father 

Grand  Mother 


0-tay-e-cum 

Mee-toon 

Mee-pit 

0-tay-e-nee 

May-ist-won 

We-it-tip 

Me-ta-wa-ki 

Me-qui-yow 

Me-koo-tu-gun 

Mis-pe-toon 

Me-chee-chee 

Me-se-chee-chon 

J^Iis-cus-see 

Ose-pe-ki 

Mis-pis-quon 

Mot-ti 

Me-pwam 

Me-yow 

Mitch-e-quon 

Mis-kate 

Me-sit 

Me-tay 

Me-cha-chake 

0-ta-we 

E-ka-we 

E-qus-sis 

E-ta-nis 

E-stays 

E-miss 

E-shim 

E-mo-shome 
0-kome 


OR  KNISTENEUX  TONGUE. 


337 


Uncle 

Aunt 

Nephew 

Niece 

Father  in  law 

Mother  in  law 

Brother  in  law 

Sister  in  law 

Friend 

Husband 

Wife 

Old  man 

Old  woman 

Chief 

Thief 

Coat 

Shirt 

Breech  cloth 

Leggin 

Garter 

Shoe 

Hat  or  cap 

Handkerchief 

Mittens  (a  pair) 

Petticoat 

Bracelet 

Ring 

Ear  knobs 

Comb 

Needle 

Pin  (headed  needle) 

Scissors 

Blanket 


O-ko-mis 

E-to-sis 

E-to-sim 

E-to-sim-es-qul 

E-sis 

E-se-goose 

Ish-taw 

E-tim 

E-wich-i-wa-gun 

Ne-na-bem 

E-che-ma-gun 

Kis-a-ye-new 

No-to-ca-ow 

0-ke-mow 

Ke-mo-tisk 

Pis-is-cow-e-gun 

Pe-puck-e-wy-un 

As-si-an 

Me-tass 

Sis-ca-pis-soon 

Mos-ca-sin 

As-to-tin 

Ta-bis-ka-gun 

Us-tis-uck 

Kis-ke-sa-ki 

Us-ton 

Us-ton-is 

Ta-be-ta-80on 

Se-ca-hoon 

Sa-bo-ne-gun 

Is-te-goine  Sa-bo-ne-gun 

Pus-co-ma-to-in 

Wa-bo-e-un 


338 


SPECIMEN  OF  THE  CREE 


Gown 

Pa-to-nis 

Horse 

Mish-ta-tim 

Buffaloe 

Moos-toosh 

Ferret 

Se-goose 

Skunk 

Se-hawk 

Elk 

A-was-kis 

Moose 

Moose-wa 

Carriboo 

At-tick 

Beaver 

A-misk 

Wolverine 

Ke-qua-a-kisk 

Squirrel 

An-nick-o-chas9 

Mink 

At-cha-kass 

Otter 

Ne-kick 

Wolf 

My-e-gun 

Hare 

Wa-poos 

Martin 

Wa-pis-ton 

Bear 

Musk-quaw 

Fisher 

0-chake 

Lynx 

Pe-su 

Hog 

Ko-koosh 

Porcupine 

Ka-quaw 

Fox 

Muck-ca-sis 

Musk  rat 

Wa-chesk 

Cat 

Ka-sha-kess 

Mouse 

A-pe-co-sik 

Meat 

Wee-as 

Dog 

At-tim 

Bitch 

Kis-ke-sis 

Eagle 

Me-ke-su 

Duck 

See-sip 

Crow 

Ka-ka-ku 

Swan 

Wa-pis-see 

Pheasant 

O-kis-kew 

OR  KNISTENEUX  TONGUE. 


339 


Bird 

Pe-a-sis 

Outard 

Nis-ka 

White  goose 

VMiy-why 

Grev  goose 

Kitch-a-ca-pi-sis 

Partridge 

Pe-yew 

Water  hen 

Se-kip 

Pigeon 

0-ma-mee 

Egg 

Wa-wa 

Pike 

I-e-ne-ke-no-see 

Carp 

Na-ma-be 

Wliite  fish 

At-tick  cum-mick 

Pickerel 

0-cow 

Fish  (in  general) 

Ke-no-see 

Fish  roes 

Wa-quock 

Fish  scales 

Wa-wa-ki 

Trout 

Na-ma-goose 

Frog 

I-ick 

Wasp 

A-mo 

Turtle 

Mis-ca-nack 

Snake 

Ke-na-bick 

Rattle  snake 

Si-si-qua  ke-na-bick 

Toad 

Pe-pe-quot-ta-tu 

Lizzard 

O-sick-ke-ask 

Owl 

Oh-ho 

Fire  steel 

Pe-wa-bisk  Ap-pit 

Fire  wood 

Mis-tick 

Cradle 

Wa-wa-bis-soon 

Dagger 

Ta-cuch-e-gun 

Lance 

Se-ma-gun 

Bow 

A-cha-pee 

Arrow 

At-toos 

Fish  hook 

Quas-qui-pitch-e-gun 

Axe 

Chee-ki-e-gun 

340 


SPECIMEN  OF  THE  CREE 


Hoe 

Pe-mich-e  chee-ki-e-gun 

Net 

I-ap-pee 

Tree  (wood  standing 

upright ) 

Mis-tick  A-che-mu8-80 

Paddle 

A-buy 

Canoe 

0-see 

Birch  bark 

Was-qui 

Bark 

Wy-a-kisk 

Touch  wood 

Poos-sa-gun 

Gun  Flint 

C  h  ak-i  s-  say-e-gun 

Grass 

Mos-ko-se-ah 

Leaf  ( of  a  tree ) 

Ne-pee-ah 

Raspberries 

I-os-cun-nuck 

Strawberries 

0-ta-me-nah 

Whortleberries 

I-e-ne-me-nah 

Choke  berries 

Tuck-quy-me-ne-na-nah 

Gooseberries 

Sa-sa-bo-min-uck 

Grapes 

Sho-min-is-uck 

Ashes 

Pe-co 

Fire 

Es-quit-tu 

Current 

Kis-se-che-win 

Rapid 

Pow-is-tick 

Winter 

Pe-poon 

Spring 

Me-os-kum-ick 

Summer 

Ne-pin 

Autumn 

Tuck-wa-gin 

Island 

Me-nis-tick 

Lake 

Sa-ki-e-gun 

River 

Se-pee 

Sun 

Pe-sim 

Moon  (night  sun) 

Tip-is-co  pe-sim 

Stars 

At-tack 

Sky 

Kee-sick 

OR  KNISTENEUX  TONGUE. 


341 


Clouds 

MA-raa-musk-wow 

Thunder 

Pe-is-su 

Lightning 

Wa-wa  s-sis-quit-a-pi-u 

Rain 

Ke-me-won 

Snow 

Mis-poon 

Hail 

Sa-sa-gun 

Calm 

I-was-tin 

Day  light 

Wa-bun 

Morning 

Ke-ke-jape 

Day 

Ke-se-cow 

Night 

Tip-is-cow 

Noon  (half  the  day] 

)  A-be-tow  Ke-se-cow 

Sun  setting 

Pung-kis-se-mo 

Midnight 

A-be-tow  Tip-is-cow 

Snow 

Ko-nah 

Drift 

Pe-won 

Ice 

Mis-co-mi 

Frost 

Ya-ya-co-tin 

Dew 

A-co-sa-pa-ow 

Water 

Ne-pee 

World 

Mis-si-wa-as-kee 

Mountain 

Wa-chee 

Sea 

Kitch-e-ga-ming 

Portage 

0-ne-gape 

Rivulet 

Se-pe-sis 

Sand 

Ya-cow 

Earth 

As-kee 

Heat 

Ke-se-ta-ow,  or  Ke-jas- 

ta-ow 

Tomorrow 

Wa-bunk 

Yesterday 

O-ta-ca-sin 

To  day 

A-nouch  ke-se-cow 

Bone 

Ose-kun 

342 


SPECIMEN  OF  THE  CREE 


Broth 

Provision 

Feast 

Grease  or  oil 

Marrow  fat 

Marrow 

Sinew 

liodge  or  tent 

Bed 

Door 

Dish 

Spoon  or  ladle 

Plate 

Knife 

Fork 

Kettle 

Tea  kettle 

Sack  or  bag 

Trunk 

Table 

Chair 

Fort  or  house 

Floor 

Window 

Chimney 

Cupboard 

Keg 

Sledge 

Cincture  or  belt 

Socks 

Cloth 

Thread 

Smoking  bag 


Mieh-e-ma-boi 

Me-chim 

We-ko-ka-ow 

Pe-me 

Ose-kun-e-pe-me 

We-ne 

As-tis 

Me-ke-wape 

Ne-pa-win 

Es-qua-tem 

We- a -gun 

A-me  quen 

Na-puck-e-a -gun 

Mo-cum-mon 

Chis-ti-e-gun 

As-kick 

Se-sip  as-kick 

Mus-ca-moote 

Mis-tick-o-wis 

Mit-te-sou-win-a-tic 

Ta-e-tup-pe-win 

Was-ky-e-gun 

A-nas-cun 

Was-sa-e-mon 

Cou-ta-na-bisk 

A-cou-cha-gun 

Muck-kuck 

Ta-bin-ask 

Pa-qua-ta-hoon 

As-se-gun 

Mon-ne-too-wa-gen 

As-se-bape 

Ap-pit 


OK  KNISTEXEUX  TONGUE. 


343 


Portage  sling 

Powder 

Balls 

Shot 

Powder  horn 

Shot  bag 

Gun 

Ramrod 

Gun  case 

Pistol 

Steel  trap 

Grave 

Grave  yard 

Spirits 

Wine 

Milk 

Breasts 

Butter 

Flour  or  bread 

Indian  corn 

Potato 

Turnip 

Onion 

Carrot 

Tea  or  medicine  wa- 
ter 

Sugar 

Wild  rice 

Glass  or  mirror 

General  or  great 
chief 

Soldier 


Ap-pe-can 

Kus-ke-ta 

Mo-sus-se-nu 

Nis-cus-se-ne-uck 

Pa-che-pa-quon 

Pa-tus-se-non 

Paw-skis-se-gun 

Se-se-quit-is-ca-we-a- 

gun-a-tick 
As-pic  k-e-n  a-gun 
Paw-skis-se-gun-is 
Pe-wa-bisk-won-a-e-gun 
Ni-e-now 
A-qua-os-cun 
Squit-te-wa-bo 
Sho-min-a-bo 
To-toos-a-bo 
To-toos 

To-toos-a-bo  pe-me 
Pa-qui-se-gun 
Mun-da-nin-uck 
Aske-pwow-wa 
0-te-se-kan 
We-cha-kus-ka-se 
Os-kate-ask 

Mus-ca-kee-wa-bo 
Se-se-bas-quit 
Mus-co-se-me-nah 
Wa-bim-oon 

Kitch-e-o-ki-mow 
Se-ma-gun-is 


344 


SPECIMEN  OF  THE  CREE 


Home 

Iron 

Money 

Book  or  letter 

Medicine 

Lover 

Pipe 

Tobacco 

Weed  for  smoking 

Part  (of  a  thing) 

Slave 

Orphan 

Peninsula 

Eelation 

Ship 

Sword 

Stone 

Store 

White  earth 
Tatler 
Liar 

Bad  man 
Good  man 
Earthquake 

Track  (of  the  feet) 

Eoad  or  path 

Whirlwind 

Good  weather 

Bad  weather 

Male 

Female 


E-ke-nake 

Pe-wa-bisk 

So-ne-ah 

Mish-e-my-e-gun 

Mus-ca-kee 

Jim-is-sim 

Os-poa-gun 

Chis-ta-mow 

A-cha-ca-che-puck-wow 

Puck-ee 

A-wa-kun 

Ke-watch-e-wa-sis 

Kis-is-tig-guy-ow 

E-to-tame 

Na-pe-quon 

She-maw-gun 

As-se-ne 

Tut-tow-o-way-gum- 

mick 
Wa-but-toon-isk 
0-zom-e-toon-ew 
Ka-ke-as-ku 
Much-e-pe-ma-tis-su 
Me-u-pe-ma-tis-su 
An-ne-mus-kum-ke-py- 

you 
I-a-sa-se-ta-you 
Mays-ke-now 
Cus-tin 

Me-u-ke-si-cow 
Mut-cha-ke-si-cow 
Na-bew 
0-ne-cha-nee 


OR  KNISTENEUX  TONGUE. 


345 


Cloudy 

A-quos-quon 

Windy 

E-o-tin 

North 

Ke-wa-tin 

South 

Sa-win-oke 

East 

Cos-kow-kos-take 

West 

Ke-wa-noke 

Straight 

Qui-esk 

Crooked 

Wa-kow 

Eed 

Me-quow 

Blue 

Che-ba-tock-wow 

Yellow 

0-saw-wow 

Green 

As-ke-tuck-wow 

Black 

Ku8-ke-ta-wow 

Ugly 

My-a-te-su 

Handsome 

Cut-e-wa-se-su 

Beautiful 

Me-u-nog-won 

Deaf 

Na-mo-ta-wa-cow 

Good  natured 

Me-wa-tick-e-su 

Pregnant 

Pwow-wew 

Fat  or  fleshy 

We-in-no 

Large 

Me-chu8-ca-wa-ke-8U 

Small 

Up-pe-se-se-su 

Short 

Che-mis-se-su 

Tall 

Me-sick-e-tu 

Merry 

Me-wa-tick-won 

Melancholy 

Pe-kis-ca-tum 

Long 

Keen-wow 

Strong 

Mus-ca-wow 

Weak 

Na-ma  mus-ca-wow 

Cowardly 

Sa-koo-ta-ow 

Brave 

So-ca-te-ow 

Lean 

Se-kut-chu 

Foolish 

Ke-squiow 

346 


SPECIMEN  OF  THE  CREE 


Sensible 

I-e-ne-su 

Stiff 

Se-ta-wow 

Sick 

A-quis-su 

Dead 

Ne-poo 

Alive 

Pe-ma-tis-su 

Miserable 

Kit-te-ma-ga-su 

Upper 

Is-pe-mink 

Lower 

Tup-pa-sis 

All 

Kuck-e-ow 

Half 

A-be-tow 

Drunken 

Ke-squi-ba-ow 

English 

A-qui-as-se-wock 

French 

Wa-mis-t  o-go-she- wock 

Equal  or  alike 

Ta-bis-kootch 

Far  off 

Wy-yow 

Nigh 

Kis-se-wake 

Few  or  little 

Up-pa-sis 

Fatigued 

Ty-is-co-sin 

Good 

Me-wa-shin 

Bad 

My-a-ton 

Avaricious 

Sa-sa-kis-su 

Generous 

May-ye-kis-ku 

Greedy- 

Ka-shock-ca-ow 

Hidden 

Kas-so 

Lazy 

Kit-te-mew 

Lame 

Mus-kip-pi-you 

Much 

Me-chet 

Flat 

Nah-puck-ow 

Bound 

Wa-way-ye-you 

Quick 

Ka-ke-e-pe 

That 

A-o-co 

This 

Muck-o-m^o 

Too  little 

O-som-up-pe-sis 

OR  KNISTENEDX  TONGUE. 


347 


Too  much 

Deep 

Shallow 

Frightful 

Wicked 

Difficult 

First 

Behind 

Last 

More 

Better 

Good  scented 

Each 

Other 

My  own 

Your  own 

His  or  her  own 

Their  own 

Our  own 

We? 

Who? 

What? 

I  am  angry 

I  fear 

To  rejoice 

To  hear 

To  see 

To  smell 

To  taste 

To  feel 

To  come  in 

To  sing 

To  halloo 


0-som-me-chet 

Tee-mew 

Pake-wow 

Sa-sis-ke-na-guon 

My-A-che-ta-ow 

I-ye-mon 

Ne-kan 

0-take 

Squi-atch 

Me-nah 

KA-me-wa-shin 

We-cum-a-gun 

Pa-pa-uck 

Pa-toosh 

Nene-ty-un 

Kene-ty-un 

We-ah-one-ty-un 

We-ah-wow-one-ty-un 

Nene-ty-un-e-non 

Ne-on 

A-way-nah 

Ka-qui 

Ne-ki8-se-wfl,-8in 

Ne-koos-ta-chin 

Me-wa-tum 

Pa-tum 

Wa-ba-tum 

Me-A-tum 

Goo-chis-tum 

Goo-te-num 

Pe-to-ca 

Ne-cum-moon 

Ta-boi 


348 


SPECIMEN  OF  THE  CREE 


To  whistle 

To  weep 

To  laugh 

To  sigh 

To  arrive 

To  depart 

Assist  me 

To  beat 

To  believe 

To  rattle 

To  suck 

To  puke 

To  carry 

I  am  cold 

To  take  courage 

To  dance 

To  jump 

To  slide 

To  run 

To  walk 

To  ride  (horseback) 

To  finish 

To  starve 

To  fall 

To  strike  fire 

To  find 

To  loose 

To  paddle 

To  give 

To  take 

To  hate 

To  keep 

To  know 


Ques-qui-su 

MA-too 

Pa-pee 

Ma-ca-ta-tum 

Tuck-a-shin 

Che-boi-ta-ow 

Ne-sho-cum-a-win 

0-tom-me-wow 

Ta-boi-tum 

Se-se-quin 

No-nu 

Pa-cum-moon 

Ni-och-e-ga-ow 

Ne-cow-a-chin 

Ye-ag-wa-me-se 

Ne-me-too 

Quas-quit-ta 

So-squoteh-e-wew 

Pe-me-pa-tow 

Pe-mo-ta-ow 

Tay-tup-pew 

Po-ne-ton 

Ka-wa-cut-tis-so-wock 

Punk-a-sin 

Se-ka-ta-ow 

Mis-cum 

Won-e-ton 

Pim-is-cow 

Me-yow 

0-te-nah 

Much-a-ye-mow 

Kun-ne-wa-e-ten 

Kis-ka-e-ta-gwun 


OR  KNISTENEUX  TONGUE. 


349 


To  leaTe 

To  love 

To  go  to  bed 

To  arise  from  bed 

To  sit  down 

To  get  up 

To  marry 

To  play 

To  make  peace 

To  make  war 

To  pray 

To  take  notice 

To  respect 

To  sail 

To  steal 

To  sleep 

To  talk 

To  lie 

To  go 

To  lend 

To  groan 

To  beat 

To  cut 

To  cover 

To  dispute 

To  give 

To  do 

To  tie 

To  unite 

To  sew 

To  sit  down 

To  fall 

To  work 


Nuck-a-tum 

Sa-ke-how 

Ka-wish-e-mo 

0-nis-caw 

Ap-pee 

Pus-se-co 

Wee-ke-mow 

Ma-te-way 

We-tus-ke-to-wuck 

Nu-to-py-e-wuck 

I-ye-me-liow 

Cun-ne-wa-bum 

Ke-tay-e-mow 

A-cus-tim-moon 

Ke-mo-tu 

Ne-pow 

A-che-moon 

Ke-as-ku 

Ke-to-tain 

Ow-we-hin 

Ma-ma-pin-ow 

0-tom-me-wew 

Kis-ke-sah 

A-quoon-e-hah 

Ke-ka-to-wuck 

May-gu 

Oo-she-hali 

Tuck-oop-e-tah 

Ap-pu-co-nah 

Ku8-ke-qua-80 

Up-pu 

Pun-ga-sln 

O-se-che-ga-ow 


350 


SPECIMEN  OF  THE  CREE 


To  kill 

To  sell 

To  come 

Always 

Because 

By  and  bye 

Doubtless 

Formerly 

Here 

How 

How  many 

Immediately 

Lately 

Never 

No 

Yes 

Not  yet 

Not  at  all 

Good  for  nothing 

There 

Truly 

Together 

Where 

Yet 

Oh 

Now  and  then^ 

Sometimes         > 

Seldom  J 

Thank  you 

What  is  that? 

What  now? 

Who  is  there? 


Ne-pa-how 

Ut-ta-wa-ow 

Us-tom-e-tay 

Ka-ke-ca 

A-o-co-chee 

Pitch-is-qua 

Mos-kootch 

Gy-as8 

0-taw 

Ta-ne-say 

Ta-ne-tut-to 

Ka-qui-ah-ho 

Gy-ass-an-e- watc  h 

Na-mow-we-katch 

Na-maw 

Ah-hah 

Na-mas-quS; 

Na-ma  w-waw- watch 

Na-maw-ca-qui-me-wa= 

sin 
A-quo-tah 
Ta-boi 

T^bis-cootch 
T^ne-tay 
Ka-a-bitch 
Ah! 

I-os-cow 

We-n  a-cum-mA 
Ka-qui-o-ko 
Ta-ne-me-ne-kick 
A-way-na-nah 


OR  KNISTENEUX  TONGUE.  351 


Get  out  of  the  way 
What  is  your  name? 
Where  are  you  going? 
I  wish  to  depart 
What  do  I  hear? 

Will  you  trade? 


A-wis-se-tay 

Ta-ne-tick-o-way-on 

Tu-ne-ta  ke-we-to-tain 

Ne-we-ke-won 

Ka  -  qui  -  ka-pa-tum- 

mon 
Ke- we-ut-t  a- won-chee 


NUMERICAL  TERMS 

OF  THE  CKEES  OR  KNISTENEUX. 


One 

Pa-uck 

Two 

Ne-sho 

Three 

Nish-to 

Four 

Nay-o 

Five 

Nay-ah-nun 

Six 

Ni-co-twa-sick 

Seven 

Ta-boo-coop 

Eight 

I-a-na-na-on 

Nine 

Ka-gate  me-ta-tut 

Ten 

Me-ta-tut 

Eleven     ( and 

one 

more) 

Me-ta-tut  pa-uck  o  sawp 

Twelve 

Me-ta-tut  ne-sho  sawp 

Thirteen 

Me-ta-tut  nish-to  sawp 

Fourteen 

Me-ta-tut  nay-o  sawp 

Fifteen 

Me-ta-tut  nay-ah-nun  o 

sawp 

Sixteen 

Me-ta-tut  ne-co-twa-sick 

o  sawp 

Seventeen 

Me-ta-tut  ta-boo-coop 

tah-to  sawp 

Eighteen 

Me-ta-tut  i-a-na-na-ow 

tah-to  sawp 

TACULLY  OR  CARRIER  TONGUE.  353 


Nineteen 

Ka-gate  me-ta-tut  tah- 

to  sawp 

Twenty- 

Ne-sit-te-no 

Twenty  one 

Ne-sit-te-no  pu-uck  o 

sawp 

Twenty  two  &c. 

Ne-sit-te-no  ne-sho  savvy 

Thirty 

Nish-to  mit-te-no 

Forty 

Nay-o  mit-te-no 

Fifty 

Nay-ah-nun  o  mit-te-no 

Sixty 

Ne-co-twa-sick  o  tut-to 

mit-te-no 

Seventy 

Ta-boo-coop  o  tut-to 

mit-te-no 

Eighty 

I-a-na-na-ow  o  tut-to 

mit-te-no 

Ninety 

Ka-gate  me-ta-tut  o 

mit-te-no 

Hundred 

Me-ta-tut-to  mit-te-no 

One  thousand 

Me-ta-tut  o  tut-to  mit- 

te-no 

A  SPECIMEN  OF 

E  TACULLY  OR  CARRIER  TONGUE. 


Man 

Ten-nee 

Woman 

Cha-ca 

Young  man 

Chilk 

Infant 

Chu-tun 

Head 

Pit-sa 

Eyes 

0-now 

23 


354   SPECIMEN  OF  THE  TACULLY 


Hair 

Ote-zega 

Nose 

Pa-nin-chis 

Teeth 

Oh-goo 

Tongue 

Tsoo-ia 

Ears 

0-cho 

Hands 

0-la 

Bellj 

0-put 

Legs 

0-ca-chin 

Knees 

0-kate 

Feet 

0-ca 

Nails 

E-la-ki 

Grand  father 

Ut-che-yan 

Grand  mother 

Ut-soo 

Father 

Ap-pa 

Mother 

Un-nung-co 

Son 

E-yaze 

Daughter 

E-a-cha 

Brother 

E-chill 

Sister 

E-taae 

Nephew 

Quaze 

Grand  child 

E-chi 

Husband 

E-ki 

Wife 

Ay- eye 

Aunt 

A-kl 

Old  man 

0-yun 

Blood 

Sko 

Path  or  road 

Tee 

Chief 

Me-u-tee 

Excrement 

Chou 

Urine 

A1-1UZ6 

Coat 

Chute 

Breech  cloth 

Chon 

Leggins 

Ca-chy 

OB  CARRIER  TONGUE. 


335 


Shoes 

Kis-coot 

Hat  or  cap 

Teh  a 

Handkeroliief 

Za-zo 

Mittens 

Pat 

Petticoat 

Cha-ca-chute 

Bracelet 

Nal-ton 

Comb 

Chil-cho 

Ring 

Ne-la-ta-ah 

Needle 

A-a-bate-80 

Scissors 

Claj-yee 

Blanket 

A- a -pi 

Frock  or  robe 

Nal-tay 

Goat  or  sheep 

Spye 

Ferret 

Nah-pye 

Moose 

Ten-nee 

Cariboo 

0-chee 

Beaver 

Cha 

Otter 

A-bay 

Hare 

Kah 

Martin 

Chin-nee 

Bear 

Suss 

Lynx 

Was-say 

Porcupine 

Cho 

Musk  rat 

Cha-kate 

Fisher 

Chin-ne-cho 

Mouse 

Ten-ne-tay 

Meat  or  flesh 

Ut-son 

Dog 

CUng 

Bitch 

Clee-chay 

Crow 

Tate-sun 

Swan 

Chin-cho 

Outard 

Hok 

Partridge 

Teel 

356       SPECIMEN  OF  THE  TACULLY 


Water  lien 

Eggs 

Loon 

Sturgeon 

White  fish 

Fish  (in  general) 

Fish  roes 

Trout 

Salmon 

Fire  steel 

Wood  or  tree 

Dagger 

Bow 

Arrow 

Axe 

Net 

Paddle 

Canoe  (bark) 

Canoe  (wooden) 

Touch  wood 

Gun  flint 

Grass  or  hay 

WTiortleberries 

Ashes 

Fire 

Winter 

Autumn 

Summer 

Sun 

Moon  (night  sun) 

Stars 

Thunder 

Day 


Chel 

0-gaze 

TAd-joy 

Clay-cho 

Clo 

Cloo-lay 

O-koon 

Pilt 

TAI-loo 

Kone 

Tuch-in 

Pa-she-al 

Al-tung 

Ka 

Cha-chill 

Clim-pelt 

Chell 

Al-la-chee 

Tuch-in-chee 

Kel-cha 

Sa-zo-en 

Clo 

Chil-cho 

Clees 

Kone 

Yas-ca 

Ta-ca-ta 

Ole-ol-tfi, 

Sa 

Cha-ol-cu8  sa 

Clum 

Date-nee 

Ja-ness 


OR  CAKRIER  TONGUE. 


357 


Rain 

Snow 

Night 

Morning 

Sun  setting 

Ice 

Water 

World 

Mountain 

Sea 

Earth 

Heat 

Tomorrow 

Yesterda}' 

To  day  ^ 

Broth 

Grease 

Sinews 

Tent  or  lodge 

Bed 

Door 

Dish 

Kettle 

Spoon  or  ladle 

Knife 

Sack  or  bag 

Trunk  or  box 

Chimney 

Fort  or  house 

Sledge 

Cincture  or  belt 

Socks 

Cloth 


Na-ol-ton 

NA-chaze 

Al-cheese 

Pun-e-ta 

Na-ah 

Clum  or  Ton 

Too 

Ton-ate-suck 

Chell 

E-a-pack 

0te-lu88 

0-zell 

Pun-tay 

Hul-ta 

Un-tit 

Ta-zell 

Kane-loo 

Tsay 

Yah 

Kus-tee 

Ta-tee 

Tsi 

0-sa 

Chin-ne-sko 

Cles-tay 

Aze-ia 

Chin-kale 

Pa-kone-tas-kone 

Yock 

Sclu-sa 

Say 

Ca-tell 

Tell-kuz-za 


358       SPECIMEN  OF  THE  TACULLY 


Thread 

A-^-bate-say 

Garters 

Chal-chase 

Medicine 

You 

Portage  sling 

Ka-nal-ta 

Powder 

Al-la-cha 

Balls 

Ca-tee 

Shot 

No-do-tone 

Powder  horn 

Da-ka 

Shot  bag 

No-do-to-bost-l^ 

Gun 

Al-tee 

Gun  case 

Al-tee-zus 

Steel  trap 

Cha-co 

Stench 

Ill-chun 

Skin 

0-ZU88 

Melancholy- 

Cho-let-nee 

Spirits 

Kone-too 

Breasts 

Tsoo 

Flour  or  bread 

Clays 

Vegetables 

Hon-elt-ya 

Heart 

0-gee 

Entrails 

At-zee 

Home 

E-yok 

Iron 

Cles-tay 

Letter  or  book 

Dush-lush 

Lover 

Na-ho-hul-ya 

Pipe 

Da-kate-say 

Tobacco 

Da-ka 

Orphan 

Till-in-yaze 

Ship 

Chee-cho 

Stone 

Tsay 

Gooseberries 

Ton-gueese 

Strawberries 

In-gee 

White  earth 

Clis-paw 

OR  CARRIER  TONGUE. 


359 


Windy 

Days-chee 

Wliite 

Yell 

Red 

Ten-il-cun 

Black 

Tel-kuz-za> 

Tellow 

Dat-leese 

Ugly 

Ne-chay 

Handsome 

Ne-zo 

Deaf 

Ot-so-hoo-lah 

Pregnant 

El-chon 

Short 

En-took 

Long 

En-yeaze 

Strong 

Na-chet 

Weak 

At-too-ua-cnet3 

Heavy 

Na-kull 

Foolish 

Wos-se-nay 

Sensible 

Ho-na 

Sick 

Tut-tay 

Dead 

Tas-si 

Alive 

An-na 

Miserable 

Til-len 

All 

Tche-ow 

Drunken 

Too-nis-to 

French 

Ned-do 

Distant 

Nee-zolt 

Nigh 

Nill-toor 

Few  or  little 

En-soole 

Shameful 

Clou-cha 

Full 

Dees-pun 

Good 

Oo-choh 

Bad 

Ni-ka-te] 

Avaricious 

Kane-chee 

Much 

Clyne 

Quick 

Ut-cho-in-tin 

360       SPECIMEN  OF  THE  TACULLY 


Deep 

Shallow 

I  am  angry 

To  hear 

To  see 

To  smell 

To  feel 

To  eat 

To  drink 

To  sing 

To  halloo 

To  whistle 

To  weep 

To  laugh 

To  arrive 

To  depart 

Assist  me 

To  beat 

To  suck 

To  be  cold 
To  dance 
To  walk 
It  is  done 
To  starve 
To  fall 
I  will  go 
Come  with  me 
To  give 
To  take 
To  hate 
I  do  not  know 
To  keep 
To  know 


Ta-kuU 

Too-hoos-ka 

Son-e-chee 

At-tade-zuck 

Nee-tlen 

In-chis 

Oan-ton 

A-al 

Ate-ni 

Ut-chin 

Ca-an-nl 

Yool 

A-chuck 

At-lo 

Na-tell 

Ni-ne-tell 

Sly-eu-e-lay 

Chil-tul-ta 

El-took 

Na-zes-lay 

Nate-tah 

Ni-yah 

A-chel-ist-la 

Ne-cho-al-hoo-Iab 

Nal-chet 

0-che-to-se-ah 

An-nee 

Won-nel-lay 

ni-shute 

0-cha-dus-se-ue 

Tuch-a-hoo-ny 

Hone-lay 

At-dy-e-tay 


OR  CARRIER  TONGUE. 


361 


To  love 

To  lie  down 

To  arise  from  bed 

To  sit  down 

To  be  merry 

To  paddle 

To  steal 

To  sleep 

Go  away 

To  talk 

To  lie 

That 

My  own 

Your  own 

Our  own 

I  or  me 

Thou  or  thee 

We 

Above 

Because 

Bye  and  bye 

Enough 

Formerly 

Here 

How 

How  many 

Immediately 

No 

Yes 

Not  yet 

There 

Truly 

Too  little 


Qui-see  or  Kane-chee 

Sin-tee 

Ta-deen-yal 

Sin-taw 

Ous-ta. 

At-to 

Way-to 

Na-mis-tee 

Us-se 

Yal-tuck 

On-chit 

In-tee 

Se-ilt  sun 

Ne-ne-ilt  sun 

Wa-ne-ilt  sun 

Se 

Ne  or  Ye 

Wa-ne 

Ya-took 

A-doo-aw 

Kud-dah 

Coo-la  or  Ate-sel 

Ul-ta 

Ne-chan 

Tuch-ah 

Ta-nil-suck 

An-tit 

Own-too 

Ah-ah  or  A-ma 

Katch-aJEi-own-to« 

En-chan 

Al-late-ne 

Stan-sool 


362     TACDLLY  OR  CARRIER  TONGUE. 


Too  muck 
Where 
Yet 

I  thank  you 
What  is  that? 
What  is  the  matter? 
Who  is  there? 
What  is  your  name? 
Where  are  you  go- 
ing? 
Let  us  depart 
Will  you  trade? 
Whence  are  you? 


Stan-clyne 

En-chay 

Ka-cha 

Se-n^-chal-le-ah 

Tee 

Ta-how-cha 

Te-ween-tal 

Ba-zee 

Ne-cha-en-e-gal 

Na-zo-tell 

Ba-che-o-kate 

Ne-cha-si-il-tal 


THE 

NUMERICAL  TERMS 
OF  THE  TACULLIEIS. 


One 

Clot-tay 

Two 

Nong-ki 

Three 

Toy 

Four 

Ting-kay 

Five 

Skoon-e-ly 

Six 

Al-ke-tate 

Seven 

Te-kal-ti 

Eight 

Al-ke-tin-ga 

Nine 

Clo-hoo-ly 

Ten 

Lan-ne-zy 

Eleven 

0-un-na  Clot-tay 

Twelve 

0-un-na  Nong-ki 

&c.  to 

Twenty 

Not-won-ne-zy 

Twenty  one 

Not-won-ne-zy  0-at  Clo 

Twenty  two 

Not-won-ne-zy  0-at 

Nong-ki 

&c.  to 

Thirty 

Tat-won-ne-zy-ah 

Forty 

Tit-won-ne-zy-ah 

Fifty 

Skoo-nee-lot-won-ne-zy 

Sixty 

Al-ke-tate-won-ne-zy 

364 


NUMERICAL  TERMS. 


Seventy- 

Tee-kal-ty-o-tate-won- 

ne-zy 

Eighty 

Al-ke-ting-o-tate-won- 

ne-zy 

Ninety 

Clo-hoo-ly-o-tate-won- 

ne-zy 

Hundred 

Na-ne-zy-o-ne-ze-ah 

Thousand 

Lan-ne-zy-o-lan-ne-zy-o- 

lan-e-zy 

A  CONCISE  ACCOUNT 

OF 

THE    PRINCIPAL    ANIMALS 

■WHICH  ARE  FOUND  IN  THE  NORTH  WESTERN 
PART  OF 

NORTH  AMERICA. 


Buffaloes  are  found  in  great  numbers,  in 
all  of  the  plain  or  prairie  countries,  on  both, 
sides  of  the  Rocky  Mountain,  as  far  north 
as  about  latitude  fifty  six  or  seven.  The 
bull  is  larger  than  an  ox,  has  short  black 
horns,  and  a  beard  under  his  chin;  and  his 
head  is  filled  with  a  long,  fine  hair,  which 
falls  over  his  eyes,  and  gives  him  a  frightful 
aspect.  On  his  back  is  a  bunch  or  excres- 
cence, commencing  a  little  forward  of  his 
haunches,  the  highest  part  of  which,  is  over 
his  shoulders,  and  which  terminates  at  the 
neck.  His  whole  body  is  covered  with  a  long 
hair  or  wool,  of  a  dark  brown  colour,  the 
whole  of  which,  and  particularly  that  which 
is  on  the  fore  part  of  the  body,  would  an- 
swer well  for   manufacturing  coarse  cloths 


366  ACCOUNT  OF  ANIMALS 

and  blankets.  The  head  of  the  buffaloe  is 
larger  than  that  of  the  bull,  hia  neck  is 
short,  his  breast  is  broad;  and  his  body 
decreases  towards  the  buttocks.  He  will 
generally  flee,  at  the  approach  of  a  man, 
excepting  the  male,  at  the  rutting  season, 
when  he  becomes  ferocious. 

The  flesh  of  the  buffaloe  is  excellent  food ; 
the  hide  is  applied  to  many  important  uses ; 
and  the  long  soft  hair,  the  natives  put  into 
their  shoes,  about  their  feet,  which  supplies 
the  place  of  socks;  and  it  is  fully  as  warm. 
The  speed  of  the  buffaloe,  is  much  the  same 
as  that  of  an  ox;  and  when  he  runs  he  in- 
clines his  fore  feet  considerably  on  one  side 
of  his  body,  for  a  short  distance,  and  then 
shifts  them  upon  the  other,  and  continues 
thus,  alternately  to  change  them. 

Those  that  remain  in  the  country  between 
the  Sisiscatchwin  and  Peace  rivers,  are  called 
the  wood  buffaloes,  because  they  inhabit  a 
woody  country;  and  they  are  considerably 
smaller  than  those,  which  inhabit  the  plains. 
They  are,  also,  more  wild  and  diflicult  to 
approach. 

The  horses,  which  the  Indians  possess, 
came  originally  from  Mexico,  and  are  of  the 
Spanish  breed.  They  are  in  general  stout, 
and  well  built;  and  many  of  them  are  of 
great  speed.  They  are  very  serviceable  to 
the  Natives  in  the  plain  countries,  are  used 
to  transport  their  property  from  place  to 
place;  and  on  them  they  run  down  and  kill 


ACCOUNT  OF  ANIMALS  367 

their  game.  These  animals  will  subsist,  dur- 
ing the  winter  months,  on  the  grass  which 
they  find  under  the  snow,  which  is  seldom 
more  than  six  inches  deep,  on  the  plains. 
There  are  but  few  horses  to  be  found,  farther 
north  than  latitude  fifty  four  or  five. 

There  are  three  kinds  of  bears,  the  grey, 
the  brown  or  chocolate  coloured,  and  those 
which  are  perfectly  black.  The  grey  bear, 
which  are  by  far  the  largest,  are  about  the 
size  of  a  common  cow;  and  are  remarkably 
strong  built,  and  very  ferocious.  They  at- 
tack human  beings,  as  well  as  all  kinds  of 
beasts,  that  fall  in  their  way;  and  in  their 
terrible  paws,  the  resistance,  even  of  the 
male  buffalo,  weighing  fourteen  or  fifteen 
hundred  pounds,  is  utterly  vain.  Three  or 
four  of  the  Natives  join  together  whenever 
they  attempt  to  hunt  them,  and  each  man 
is  well  armed,  with  a  musket  and  a  long 
spear. 

The  grey  bear  differs  but  little  in  shape, 
from  those  of  a  smaller  kind  and  of  a  differ- 
ent colour.  Their  heads  are  rather  shorter, 
in  proportion  to  their  bodies,  their  noses 
are  less  pointed ;  and  they  are  more  stoutly 
built.  Their  colour  is  a  beautiful  lively  sil- 
ver grey.  Their  flesh  has  not  so  good  a 
flavour  as  that  of  the  black  bear,  it  being 
more  rank.  The  Natives,  formerly,  made 
use  of  their  skins  for  beds;  but  now,  they 
always  exchange  them  with  us,  for  blankets, 
&c. 


368  ACCOUNT  OF  ANIMALS. 

The  grey,  in  common  with  the  other  kinds 
of  bears,  pass  the  winter  months,  without 
taking  any  kind  of  nourishment.  Their 
retreats  are  by  the  sides  of  the  roots  of 
large  trees,  that  have  fallen  down,  or 
in  the  caverns  of  rocks;  and  in  some  in- 
stances they  dig  holes,  in  the  sides  of  hills. 
These  habitations  are  enclosed  on  every  side, 
with'^the  branches  of  trees,  filled  in  with  moss, 
&c.  so  as  completely  to  surround  the  animal, 
excepting  his  nose,  where  a  small  hole  is 
left,  to  enable  him  to  breathe  fresh  air.  They 
leave  these  retreats,  as  soon  as  the  warm 
weather  comes  on  in  the  spring,  when  they 
are  apparently  as  fat,  as  they  were  when 
they  entered  them,  in  the  preceding  autumn. 

This  flesh  has  less  substance,  probably, 
as  they  loose  most  of  it,  soon  after  their 
egress;  though  they  then  devour,  with  an 
appetite  rendered  strong  by  a  winter's  ab- 
stinence, whatever  comes  in  their  way.  Their 
food,  however,  at  this  season,  is  not  so 
abundant  as  it  is  afterwards,  as  they  general- 
ly live  upon  roots,  and  the  different  kinds 
of  fruit.  They  eat,  likewise,  ants  and  honey, 
whenever  they  meet  with  that  which  is  made 
by  bees  and  wasps.  They  rarely  eat  animal 
food. 

The  brown  and  black  bear  differ  little, 
excepting  in  their  colour.  The  hair  of  the 
former,  is  much  finer  than  that  of  the  latter. 
They  usually  flee  from  a  human  being.  One, 
however,  that  has  been  wounded,  or  a  female 


ACCOUNT  OF  ANIMALS.  369 

that  has  cubs,  will  attack  a  pursuer.  The 
brown  and  the  black  bear,  climb  trees,  which 
the  grey,  never  does.  Their  flesh  is  not 
considered  so  pleasant  food  as  that  of  the 
moose,  buffaloe  or  deer;  but  their  oil  is 
highly  valued  by  the  Natives,  as  it  consti- 
tutes an  article  at  their  feasts,  and  serves, 
also,  to  oil  their  bodies,  and  other  things. 
Occasionally,  a  bear  is  found,  the  colour 
of  which  is  like  that  of  a  white  sheep,  and 
the  hair  is  much  longer  than  that  of  the 
other  kinds  which  have  been  mentioned; 
though,  in  other  respects,  it  differs  not  at  all 
from  the  black  bears. 

There  are  two  kinds  of  wolves,  one  of 
which  is  rather  larger  than  a  stout  dog, 
and  the  other  is  not  more  than  half  as 
large.  Their  legs  are  long,  in  proportion 
to  their  slender  bodies.  Their  heads,  also, 
are  long ;  and  their  noses  are  sharply  pointed. 
Their  tails  are  long  and  bushy.  The  colour 
of  the  larger  kind,  is  generally  a  light  grey ; 
but  some  of  them,  are  nearly  white.  The 
smaller  kind  are  commonly  a  silver  grey; 
but  some  of  them  are  nearly  black.  They 
are  all  very  voracious;  but  they  never  at- 
tack a  human  being,  unless  when  suffering 
greatly  from  hunger.  They  display  great 
ingenuity  and  cunning;  generally,  herd  to- 
gether, especially  in  the  winter  season;  and 
make  a  hideous  noise,  particularly  when 
thirty  or  forty  of  them  are  employed  in 
surrounding  a  herd  of  the  buffaloe  or  deer, 
24 


370  ACCOUNT  OF  ANIMALS. 

in  order  to  drive  them  down  a  precipice. 
They  frequently  take  this  method  to  make 
these  animals  their  prey;  and,  in  order  to 
carry  a  project  of  this  kind  into  execution 
they  form  lines,  by  separating  to  a  certain 
distance  from  each  other,  and  frequently 
make  noises,  resembling  the  human  voice; 
and  they  appear  to  act  in  concert,  as  regu- 
larly as  the  Indians  themselves  do,  when  they 
drive  the  buffaloes  into  their  yards. 

The  wolves  know  the  effects  of  a  discharge 
of  a  musket ;  and  when  a  hunter  fires  his  gun 
at  a  buffaloe  or  deer,  in  a  few  minutes,  from 
ten  to  twenty  of  them  will  rush  to  the  spot 
whence  the  report  proceeded ;  and,  at  some 
times,  they  are  so  pinched  with  hunger,  that 
while  standing  beside  his  game,  it  is  with 
difficulty  that  the  hunter  preserves  it  from 
being  devoured  by  them. 

There  are  three  sorts  of  foxes,  which, 
however,  differ  only  in  their  colour.  The 
most  common  are  of  a  yellowish  red,  some 
are  of  a  beautiful  silver  grey,  and  some  in  the 
more  northern  latitudes,  are  almost  black. 
The  last,  are  by  far  the  most  valuable. 

The  Indians  have  several  kinds  of  dogs. 
Those  which  they  make  use  of  in  hunting, 
are  small,  their  ears  stand  erect ;  and  they 
are  remarkable  for  their  fidelity  to  their 
masters. — They  now  have  a  large  breed 
among  them,  which  were  brought  into  their 
country  from  Newfoundland,  by  the  English, 
when  they   first   established   themselves   on 


ACCOUNT  OF  ANIMALS  371 

Hudson's  Bay;  and  from  that  place  thej 
have  been  spread  into  every  part  of  the 
country,  east  of  the  Rocky  Mountain.  They 
are  used  only  as  beasts  of  burthen.  In  the 
summer  season,  they  carry  loads  upon  their 
backs ;  and  in  the  winter  when  there  is  snow, 
they  draw  them  upon  sledges.  These  sledges 
are  made  of  two  thin  boards,  turned  up  at 
the  fore  end,  and  joined  closelj^  together, 
80  that  this  vehicle  is  twelve  or  fourteen 
inches  broad,  and  seven  or  eight  feet  in 
length.  The  collar,  by  which  the  dogs  draw, 
is  much  like  that  with  which  a  horse  is  usu- 
ally harnessed,  in  the  civilized  parts  of  the 
country.  Their  weight  is,  generally,  from 
sixty  to  one  hundred  pounds 

The  cat  or  lynx,  in  its  shape  and  nature 
resembles  the  domestic  cat;  but  is  much 
larger.  It  has  long  legs  and  a  long  body; 
but  a  very  short  tail.  Its  hair  is  exceeding- 
ly fine,  considerably  long,  and  of  a  lively 
and  beautiful,  silver  grey  colour.  \Mien  fuU 
grown,  the  cat  will  weigh  thirty  five  or  forty 
pounds;  and  when  fat  they  are  excellent 
food.  They  generally  live  on  mice,  the  dead 
fish  which  they  find  along  the  rivers  and 
lakes,  and  partridges  and  hares.  In  taking 
their  prey,  they  manifest  all  the  adroitness 
and  activity  of  the  domestic  cat.  In  some 
years,  these  animals  are  very  numerous; 
and,  frequently,  the  following  year,  very  few 
can  be  found. 

There  are  two  species  of  the  deer.    One  of 


372  ACCOUNT  OF  ANIMALS 

these,  denominated  the  jumping  deer,  is  like 
those  which  are  found  in  the  northern  parts 
of  the  United  States;  and  none  of  them  are 
found  farther  north  than  about  latitude 
48°  or  50°.  The  other  kind  is  sometimes 
called  the  red  deer  or  the  elk.  They  are 
about  the  size  of  a  horse;  and  their  bodies, 
are  shaped  like  those  of  the  jumping  deer. 
Their  tails  are  remarkably  short,  being  not 
more  than  three  inches  long.  Their  hair, 
which  is  three  inches  in  length,  is  of  a  light 
grey  colour,  and  is  as  coarse  as  that  of  the 
horse.  The  horns  of  these  animals  grow  to 
a  prodigious  size,  their  extreme  points  are 
about  six  feet  asunder;  and  they  branch 
out  before  and  behind,  like  those  of  the 
common  deer.  Their  bodies  are  well  pro- 
portioned, their  air  is  noble;  and,  on  the 
whole,  they  are  the  most  majestick  animal, 
that  I  have  ever  seen.  They  shed  their  horns, 
in  the  month  of  February  or  March ;  and  by 
August,  the  new  ones  are  nearly  at  their 
full  growth.  Notwithstanding  the  size  and 
strength  of  these  animals,  and  the  means 
of  defence  .with  which  they  are  furnished, 
they  are  as  timorous  as  a  hare.  Their  skins 
are  very  useful,  and  will  dress  as  well  as 
that  of  a  buck.  They  feed  on  grass  and 
buds,  and  the  twigs  of  trees.  Their  flesh 
is  tender,  and  of  a  fine  flavour. 

The  moose  is,  in  size,  next  to  the  buffaloe, 
among  the  animals  of  the  North  West.  The 
body  is  in   shape,    somewhat   Mke  that  of 


ACCOUNT  OF  ANIMALS.  373 

an  ox,  raw  boned,  with  high  haunches; 
but  its  neck  and  head  resemble  those  of  a 
horse.  The  ears  are  large,  like  those  of  an 
ass.  The  horns  are  flat,  and  branched  out 
only  behind ;  and  are  shed  every  year.  The 
feet  resemble  those  of  the  deer,  excepting 
that  they  are  much  longer  and  broader ;  and 
when  it  puts  them  on  the  ground,  the  hoofs 
separate,  two  or  three  inches.  The  head  is 
about  two  feet  long.  The  upper  is  much 
longer  than  the  under  lip  of  this  animal; 
and  the  nostrils  are  so  wide,  that  a  man 
might  thrust  his  hand  into  them,  to  a  con- 
siderable distance.  The  colour  of  the  moose 
is  a  light  grey,  mixed  with  a  deep  red,  and 
the  hair  is  so  elastic,  that  its  shape  cannot 
be  altered  by  beating.  The  flesh  of  this 
animal  is  exceedingly  good  food,  it  being 
easy  of  digestion,  and  very  nourishing,  as 
well  as  very  palatable.  The  nose  and  the 
upper  lip,  which  is  large,  and  loose  from  the 
gums,  are  esteemed  a  great  delicacy;  it  is 
of  a  consistence  between  marrow  and  gristle, 
and  when  properly  dressed,  it  is  a  rich  and 
luxurious  dish.  The  hide  of  this  animal 
makes  excellent  leather,  as  it  is  thick  and 
strong;  and  when  dressed  it  is  soft  and  pli- 
able. The  pace  of  the  moose,  is  a  walk  or 
trot;  and  it  is  exceeded  in  swiftness,  by  few 
of  its  fellow  tenants  of  the  forest.  It  will, 
with  ease,  trot  over  a  fallen  tree,  of  five 
feet  in  diameter.  This  animal  is  commonly 
found   in   low   grounds,    where   it    feeds    on 


374  ACCOUNT  OF  ANIMALS. 

moss,  and  the  buds  of  trees.  The  moose, 
generally,  remains  alone;  though  at  some- 
times five  or  six  of  them  are  found  together. 
Their  senses  of  hearing  and  smelling  are 
uncommonly  acute;  and,  therefore  the  least 
noise  made  by  a  hunter,  such  as  the  rustling 
of  dry  leaves,  or  the  breaking  of  a  small 
branch,  will  be  heard  by  this  animal,  at 
a  great  distance,  and  will  alarm  its  fears. 
When  put  to  flight,  the  moose  does  not  like 
the  deer  and  most  other  animals,  run  a 
little  distance,  and  then  stop,  until  a  new 
appearance  of  danger;  but,  oftentimes,  he 
will  not  make  the  least  halt,  until  he  has 
run  ten  or  fifteen  miles.  No  other  animal 
that  runs  in  the  woods,  is  so  diflicult  of 
approach. 

There  are  two  Kinds  of  the  cariboo.  The 
only  difference  between  them  is,  that  the 
one  is  about  twice  as  large  as  the  other, 
and  the  hair  of  the  smaller,  is  of  a  much 
lighter  colour.  The  larger,  will  weigh  nearly 
as  much  as  the  elk;  but,  in  shape  and  the 
colour  of  the  hair,  it  more  nearly  resembles 
the  moose;  and  like  this  animal  it  feeds 
only  on  moss,  and  the  buds  of  trees.  The 
horns  are  round,  like  those  of  the  elk;  but 
they  approach  nearer  to  each  other,  at  the 
extremities,  and  bend  more  over  the  face, 
than  those  of  either  the  moose  or  the  elk. 
The  gait  of  this  animal  is  much  the  same 
as  that  of  the  moose,  and  it  is  almost  as 
diflScult  of  approach. 


ACCOUNT  OF  ANIMALS.  375 

The  flesh  is  equally  good  for  food;  and 
the  tongue,  particularly,  the  Natives  con- 
sider as  one  of  the  greatest  dainties,  which 
their  country  affords.  The  skin,  being 
smooth  and  free  from  veins,  makes  the  finest 
of  leather ;  and  of  it,  excellent  leggins  and 
shirts  are  made.  The  Indians  attach  great 
value  also  to  the  dung  of  the  cariboo,  of 
which  they  make,  what  they  consider,  a 
delicious  broth.  They  make  use  of  the  lower 
bone  of  the  leg  of  this  animal,  in  the  place 
of  a  tanner's  scraping  knif^  to  separate  the 
hair  from  skins.  ' 

There  are  two  k^uds  of  antelope,  which 
differ  only  in  size,  and  in  the  colour  of  their 
tails,  which  are  about  two  inches  long.  The 
colour  of  these  animals  is  a  light  grey  or 
mouse  colour,  with  here  and  there  a  spot 
of  white.  The  tail  of  the  larger,  is  of  the 
same  colour  as  the  body,  while  that  of  the 
smaller,  is  white.  The  larger,  is  about  the 
size  of  the  jumping  deer,  which  animal  it, 
also,  very  much  resembles,  in  shape.  The 
smaller,  will  weigh  about  as  much  as  a  sheep ; 
and  the  flesh  resembles  mutton,  in  its  taste. 
These  animals  herd  together,  like  the  deer, 
and  always  remain  in  an  open  country ;  and 
their  speed  is  little  inferiour  to  that  of  the 
horse.  They  are  very  timorous,  and  as 
soon  as  they  perceive  a  human  being,  they 
run  off  to  a  considerable  distance,  but  soon 
make  a  halt;  and,  if  the  person  hides  him- 
self, they  will  soon  return,  near  to  the  spot 


376  ACCOUNT  OF  ANIMALS. 

where  they  had  seen  the  object  which  alarmed 
them.  It  is  thus  that  the  Natives  manage, 
in  hunting  them.  Their  skin  is  thin,  and  will 
dress  equally  well  with  that  of  the  chamois ; 
and  the  leather  is  very  suitable  for  leggins 
and  shirts  for  the  Natives,  during  the  summer 
months.  The  males  have  horns,  resembling 
those  of  the  deer,  excepting  that  they  are 
smaller. 

The  carcajou  or  wolverine,  in  shape  and 
the  colour  of  the  hair,  greatly  resembles 
the  skunk :  but  it  is  nearly  twice  as  large. 
The  hair  of  the  carcajou  is  about  the  same 
length  as  that  of  a  bear :  and  its  colour 
is  black,  excepting  a  narrow  strip  of  white, 
on  the  rump.  The  tail  is  about  six  inches 
long,  and  is  very  bushy.  This  animal  is 
remarkably  strong  built,  for  its  size :  and  is 
extremely  voracious.  He  feeds  on  dead  fish, 
which  he  finds  along  the  shores  of  the  rivers 
and  lakes :  and  on  mice,  hares,  &c.  He  is 
often  found  about  the  places  where  human 
beings  have  been  interred ;  and,  if  they  have 
not  been  buried  deep  in  the  earth,  he  will 
take  them  up,  and  feed  on  their  carcases. 
On  this  account,  the  Natives  never  feed  on 
the  flesh  of  this  animal,  though  it  has  an 
excellent  flavour.  When  he  falls  upon  a  large 
animal,  that  has  been  killed  and  cut  up  and 
left  by  the  hunter,  he  will,  within  a  very  short 
time,  remove  the  whole  of  it  to  a  consider- 
able distance,  and  strive  to  hide  it  under  the 
grass,  OP  the  branches  of  trees. 


ACCOUNT  OF  ANIMALS.  377 

The  skunk  differs  not  at  all  from  the  same 
animal,  as  it  is  found  in  most  parts  of  the 
United  States :  and  it  is  too  well  known  to 
need  a  description. 

The  porcupine,  in  shape,  and  size,  differs 
but  little  from  the  skunk.  Its  tail  is  much 
shorter,  and  has  little  hair  on  it.  The  body- 
is  covered  with  hair  of  a  dark  brown  colour, 
about  four  inches  in  length.  This  hair  is 
interspersed  with  quills,  about  the  size  of  a 
straw,  that  are  white,  with  black  ends,  sharp- 
ly pointed :  and  for  about  half  an  inch  from 
the  end,  they  are  covered  with  a  kind  of 
beard,  which  renders  it  very  difficult  to  ex- 
tract them  from  any  soft  substance  which 
they  have  entered.  These  quills  are  merely 
defensive  weapons :  for  it  is  not  true,  though 
it  has  by  some  been  asserted,  that  they  can, 
at  pleasure,  eject  them  from  their  bodies. 
They  are  an  inoffensive  animal,  move  very 
slowly;  and  when  overtaken  by  man  or 
beast,  they  place  their  heads  and  their  legs 
under  their  bodies,  and  place  all  their  re- 
liance on  their  quills,  for  protection.  The 
Indian  women  highly  value  these  quills, 
which  they  die  of  different  colours,  and  use 
for  garnishing  their  shoes,  leggins,  &c.  They 
also  hold  their  flesh  in  high  estimation,  as 
an  article  of  food. 

There  is  a  small  animal,  found  only  on 
the  Rocky  Mountain,  denominated,  by  the 
Natives,  Quis-qui-su,  or  whistlers,  from  the 
noise  which  they  frequently  make,  and  always 


378  ACCOUNT  OF  ANIMALS. 

when  surprised,  strongly  resembling  the  noise 
made  by  a  person  in  whistling.  They  are 
about  the  size  of  a  badger,  are  covered  with 
a  beautiful  long  silver  grey  hair,  and  have 
long  bushy  tails.  They  burrow  in  the  sides 
of  the  mountain,  and  feed  on  roots  and 
herbs.  Their  flesh  is  very  delicious  food. 
They  generally  produce  two  young  at  a 
time ;  and  sit  upon  their  hind  feet  when  they 
give  them  suck.  The  skins  of  these  animals 
are  very  useful  to  the  Natives,  for  clothing- 
They  dress  them,  with  the  hair  on ;  and  sew 
a  sufficient  number  of  them  together,  to  make 
a  garment,  as  large  as  a  blanket,  which  they 
wrap  around  their  bodies. 

The  racoon  is  an  animtti  never  found 
farther  north,  than  about  latitude  forty 
eight.  It  is  considerably  smaller  than  a 
beaver,  with  legs  and  feet  resembling  this 
animal.  The  legs  are  short  in  proportion 
to  the  body,  which  is  like  that  of  a  badger. 
It  has  a  head  like  that  of  a  fox ;  but  with 
ears  shorter,  rounder,  and  more  naked.  The 
hair  is  thick,  long,  soft  and  black  at  the 
ends,  like  that  of  a  fox.  On  the  face  there 
is  a  broad  stripe,  that  runs  across  it,  which 
includes  the  eyes,  which  are  large.  The  tail 
is  long  and  round,  with  annular  stripes 
upon  it,  like  those  of  a  cat.  The  feet  have 
five  slender  toes,  armed  with  sharp  claws, 
by  which  it  is  enabled  to  climb  trees.  It 
feeds  itself  with  its  fore  feet,  as  with  hands. 
The  flesh  of  this  animal  is  very  good,  in  the 


ACCOUNT  OF  ANIMALS.  379 

months  of  September  and  October,  when 
fruit  and  nuts,  on  which  it  likes  to  feed, 
are  found  in  plenty. 

The  martin  is  some  larger  than  a  squirrel, 
which  it  resembles  in  shape,  excepting  that 
its  legs  and  claws  are  considerably  shorter. 
In  the  darkness  of  the  night,  the  eyes  have 
a  shining  appearance,  like  those  of  a  cat. 
It  has  short  ears,  which  are  of  a  roundish 
shape.  The  whole  body  is  covered  with  a 
thick  fur,  which  in  a  mild  climate,  is  of  a 
yellowish  colour;  but  in  the  colder  regions 
of  the  north,  it  becomes  of  a  dark  brown, 
and,  in  some  instances,  is  nearl}^  black.  The 
skins,  which  have  this  dark  coloured  fur, 
are  much  more  valuable  than  the  others. 
The  tail  is  covered  with  long  hair ;  and  under 
the  neck,  even  of  those  of  the  darkest  colour, 
there  is  a  small  spot,  of  a  yellowish  cast. 
The  flesh  of  this  animal  has  a  rank,  dis- 
agreeable taste;  and  is,  therefore  seldom 
eaten. 

The  muskrat,  which  receives  its  name 
from  the  musk  that  it  affords,  resembles 
the  beaver,  in  every  respect  excepting  its 
size,  which  is  little  larger  than  the  badger. 
It  builds  for  itself  a  cabin  in  marshy  places, 
at  no  great  distance  from  some  water :  and 
feeds  on  roots,  herbs,  mice  and  fish,  which 
it  finds  dead,  on  the  margin  of  lakes  and 
streams.  In  the  spring,  these  animals  leave 
their  huts,  as  they  are  built  in  places  so 
low,  that  they  are  generally,  at  that  season, 


380  ACCOUNT  OF  ANIMALS. 

overflowed  by  water.  During  the  summer 
months,  they  have  no  fixed  residence:  but 
are  found  in  different  places,  among  the 
grass.  As  the  winter  approaches,  they  erect 
new  huts,  in  which  they  pass  the  winter. 
Carver  is  surely  mistaken  when  he  states, 
that  they  winter  in  hollow  trees,  without 
any  sustenance,  and  that,  in  the  summer, 
they  feed  on  raspberries,  strawberries  and 
other  kinds  of  fruit. 

In  the  North  West  country,  there  are  only 
three  kinds  of  squirrels,  which  are  the  red, 
the  striped  and  the  flying.  The  black  and 
grey  squirrel,  seldom  go  farther  north,  than 
latitude  forty  five  or  six. 

The  beaver  has  been  so  frequently  and  so 
minutely  described,  and  his  sagacity,  in- 
genuity and  industry  are  so  well  known, 
that  a  very  particular  account  of  this  animal, 
in  this  place,  would  be  superfluous.  As  some 
other  animals,  in  the  toregoing  description, 
have  been  compared  with  the  beaver,  it  may 
be  necessary  to  state,  that  his  weight  is 
usually  about  sixty  pounds :  that  his  body 
is  about  four  feet  in  length,  and  that  his 
legs  are  short,  particularly  his  fore-legs, 
which  are  not  more  than  four  or  five  inches 
in  length.  His  fore  feet  are  armed  with 
claws,  and  his  hind  feet  are  furnished  with 
a  web  or  membrane  between  the  toes,  for  the 
convenience  of  swimming,  as  he  is  an  amphi- 
bious animal.  His  fore-teeth  stand  ob- 
liquely, projecting  forward  out  of  his  mouth, 


ACCOUNT  OF  ANIMALS.  381 

and  are  broad,  crooked  and  sharp.  His 
incisors,  or  side  teeth,  are  firmly  set  and 
sharp,  and  his  grinders  are  very  strong.  By 
means  of  these  teeth,  he  is  able  to  cut  down 
considerable  trees,  and  to  break  the  hardest 
substances.  The  ordinary  colour  of  the 
beaver  is  brown,  which  becomes  darker  in 
the  northern,  and  lighter  in  the  more  south- 
ern latitudes.  The  number  of  beavers  in 
the  North  West  country,  is  continually  di- 
minishing. The  skins  of  this  animal  consti- 
tute, with  the  Natives,  the  principal  article 
of  trade;  and  the  price  of  other  things  is 
computed,  by  comparing  them  with  a  beaver 
skin. 

The  otter  is  an  ampnibious  animal,  bear- 
ing some  resemblance  to  the  beaver,  and  yet 
in  many  respects,  differing  from  it.  His  body 
is,  in  every  part,  less  than  that  of  the  beaver, 
though  it  is  nearly  as  long.  His  teeth  are 
different,  being  in  shape  like  those  of  a  dog 
or  wolf.  The  hair  of  the  otter  is  not  more 
than  half  the  length  of  the  beaver;  and  in 
some  parts  particularly  under  the  neck, 
stomach  and  belly,  is  more  greyish.  This 
animal,  when  closely  pursued,  will  not  only 
defend  himself;  but  he  will  attack  dugs  and 
even  men.  His  food  consists  of  roots  and 
fish;  and  his  flesh  tastes  and  smells  of  the 
latter,  and  is  not  very  palatable  food. 

The  mink  is  of  the  otter  kind,  and  sub- 
sists on  similar  food,  and  resembles  this 
animal  in  its  colour.     In   shape  and   size, 


382  A.CCOUNT  OF  ANIMALS. 

it  bears  a  strong  resemblance  to  the  martin ; 
but  its  hair  is  much  shorter.  A  musky  scent 
proceeds  from  this  animal.  It  is  generally 
found  along  small  rivers. 

The  following  catalogue  of  animals,  will 
exhibit  the  comparative  value  of  the  furs, 
which  are  annually  purchased  and  exported 
to  the  civilized  parts  of  the  world,  by  the 
North  West  Company.  The  animal  is  tirst 
mentioned,  the  skins  of  which  will  amount 
to  the  greatest  sum;  and  so  on,  in  order, 
to  the  last,  the  skins  of  which,  will  amount 
to  the  smallest  sum. — Beaver,  otter,  musk- 
rat,  martin,  bear,  fox,  lynx,  fisher,  mink, 
wolf,  buffaloe. 

The  following  catalogue  will  exhibit  the 
comparative  weight  of  the  skins,  of  the  differ- 
ent animals,  which  are  annually  purchased 
and  exported,  as  above  mentioned. — Beaver, 
martin,  muskrat,  bear,  ottier,  wolf,  buffaloe, 
lynx,    &c. 


END. 


American 
Explorers 

A  SERIES  OF  HISTORICAL  EXPLORATIONS 
With  Introductions,  Illustrations 

17 -volume,  and  Maps  ismo.Chth 

Prof.  John  Bach  McMaster 

Comultlng  Editor 


FIRST  ACROSS  THE  CONTINENT 
Voyages  from  Montreal  through  the  Continent 
of  North  America  to  the  Frozen  and  Pacific 
Oceans  in  1789  and  1793 
By  Alexander  Mackenzie  In  tivo  -volumes 

THE  GREATEST  AMERICAN  EXPLORATION 

History  of  the  Expedition  under  the  Command 
of  Captains  Lewis  and  Clark  to  the  Sources  of 
the  Missouri,  across  the  Rocky  Mountains,  down 
the  Columbia  River  to  the  Pacific  in  1804-1306 
With  an  account  of  the  Louisiana  Purchase  by  Prof. 
John  Bach  McMaster,  and  an  Introduction 
In  three  -volumes 

A  CONTEMPORARY  HISTORY  OF  THE 
FAMOUS  IROQUOIS 

A  History  of  the  Five  Indian  Nations  of  Canada 
which  are  Dependent  upon  the  Province  of  Nev/ 
York  By  Cadwallader  Colden  In  t-zvo  -volumes 

AN  EARLY  FUR  TRADER'S  LIFE  AMONG 
THE  INDIANS 

A  Journal  of  Voyages  and  Travels  in  the  In- 
terior of  North  America 

By  Daniel  Wm.  Harmon,  a  partner  in  the  Northwest 
Company 


ACROSS  THE  CONTINENT  IN  SUB-ARTIC 
AMERICA 
The  Wild  Northland.  The  Story  of  a  Winter 
Journey  with   Dogs   across    Northern    North 
America,  1872-1873 
By  Gen.  Sir  Wm.  Francis  Butler,  K.C.B. 

FLORIDA  TO  THE  PACIFIC,  1528-1536 
The  Journey  of  Alvar  Nunez  Cabeza  de  Vaca, 
and  his  companions  from  Florida  to  the  Pacific, 
1528-1536 

Translated  by  F.Bandelier,  Edited  with  an  Introduction 
by  Ad. F.Bandelier 

THE  FIRST  EXPLORER  OF  THE  SOUTH 

Narrative  of  the  career  of  Hernando  De  Soto  in 
the  Conquest  of  Florida,  1539-1542,  as  told  by  a 
Knight  of  Elvas,  by  Luys  Hernandez  de  Biedma 
and  by  Rodrigo  Ranjel 

Edited  with  an  Introduction  by  Prof.  Edward  G.  Bourne, 
of  Yale  University  In  tivo  -volumes 

AN  HISTORICAL  CLASSIC 
The  Voyages  and  Explorations  of  Samuel  de 
Champlain,  1604-1616,  as  narrated  by  himself 
Translated  by  A.  N.  Bourne,  Edited  with  an  Introduction 
by  Prof.  Edward  Gaylord  Bourne,  of  Yale  University 
In  tivo  "Volumes 

THE  EXPLORER  OF  THE  MISSISSIPPI 
The  Journeys  of  Ren^  Robert  Cavelier,  Sieur 
de  La  Salle,  as  related  by  his  followers  and  col- 
leagues 

Edited  with  an  Introduction  by  Prof.  Isaac  Joslin  Cox, 
Ph.  D.  In  tivo  -volumes 

THE  FIRST  EXPLORER  OF  THE  WEST 

The  Journey  of  Coronado,  1540-1542.  From  the 
City  of  Mexico  to  the  Buffalo  Plains  of  Kansas 
and  Nebraska 

Translated  and  Edited  with  an  Introduction  by  George 
Parker  Winship 

ALLERTON  BOOK  CO. 

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